Lancet review reports possibility of cervical cancer wipe out

A Lancet review was conducted by scientists involving 65 studies and 60 million people across 14 high-income countries, looking at human papilloma virus rates, cases of genital warts and pre-cancerous cells in the cervix. The review found that when rates were compared before vaccination started and eight years after, cases of HPV 16 and 18 were 83% lower in girls aged 15-19 and 66% lower in women aged 20-24. Cases of genital warts were 67% lower in the former group and 54% lower in the latter, likewise pre-cancerous growths with a fall of 51% and 31% respectively. This review gives hope that it could be the case that as the years go on, there will be a meaningful reduction, and even possibly eradication, of cervical cancer.

CEO of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, Robert Music, said: “This study furthers the growing evidence to counteract those who don’t believe that this vaccine works, which is now extremely encouraging. We sincerely hope this will boost public faith in the HPV vaccine, so that more lives can be saved and we get closer to a world where cervical cancer is a thing of the past.”

Dr David Mesher, principal scientist at Public Health England, said: “We are seeing reductions in HPV strains and in cervical disease as well, so there is every suggestion there will be reductions in cervical cancers too.”

Professor Marc Brisson, from Laval University, Canada, who led the review, said: “We will see reductions in women aged 20-30 within the next 10 years,” and that cervical cancer elimination “might be possible if sufficiently high vaccination coverage can be achieved and maintained”.