In the push to eliminate cervical cancer, researchers delivered hopeful news Nov. 17 at the 34th International Papillomavirus Conference in Toronto.
Cervical cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women in 42 low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), with the highest age-standardised incidence rates (40 cases per 100 000 women-years) occurring in 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The gross disparity of the burden of this highly preventable disease, whereby 290 000 (51%) of the 570 000 new cases estimated to occur annually befall women in LMICs, has led many people to call attention to the need for urgent action.
A new UW study led by Ruanne Barnabas, Associate Professor, UW Department of Global Health/ International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), aims to shed light on effective strategies for cervical cancer elimination. The study will increase understanding of how a combination of screening and vaccination strategies can be used more effectively to eliminate cervical cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter
Fewer adult women are becoming infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), a trend that includes females who have never received the HPV vaccine, a new study reports.
It appears that enough women have gotten the HPV vaccine to create "herd immunity" that will provide some protection to females who go unvaccinated, said lead researcher Dr. Abbey Berenson.
The Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) took place in Seattle in mid-February, a forum for researchers and advocates to discuss the basic science and clinical discoveries of human retroviruses and associated diseases.
Sharon Greene, MPH student in Epidemiology at the UW School of Public Health, presented findings during CROI on a 3-year study comparing the effectiveness of cryotherapy and loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) to eliminate risk of cervical pre-cancer for women living with HIV.
By Amy Vanderzanden
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for women in 40 of the 48 countries of sub-Saharan Africa, according to the most reliable health statistics.