Washington, Sept. 28, 2018 (PAHO/WHO) -- All countries in the Americas "have made notable progress in improving their public health strategies for cervical cancer prevention and control," according to a report presented today at the Pan American Sanitary Conference in Washington, DC.

Cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer among women in Latin America and the Caribbean, although ranked fourth in the Americas region, killing some 35,000 each year and with an estimated 83,000 women newly diagnosed annually. Cervical cancer is largely preventable, through Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination during early adolescence and through screening and treatment of women 30 years of age and older.   

Strikingly, cervical cancer mortality rates are 3 times higher in Latin America and the Caribbean than in North America, and if current trends continue, the number of deaths in the Americas is projected to increase 45% by 2030, according to the Final Report on the Regional Strategy and Plan of Action for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control.

That strategy, approved in 2008, aimed to improve cervical cancer prevention and control programs, using information, education, and counseling as well as, introducing HPV vaccines, fortifying screening and pre-cancer treatment programs and improve access and quality of cancer treatment. 

The report on the strategy noted that PAHO worked with countries to make evidence based decisions on HPV vaccination, conducting 12 cost-effectiveness evaluations using the ProVac method, as well as including HPV vaccines in the PAHO Revolving Fund to ensure one unique low price for all countries in the region regardless of purchase size.  As a result, 23 countries and territories in the Americas have now introduced the HPV vaccine in national immunization programs.  Experts estimate that approximately 70% of cancer cases could be avoided through HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccination of adolescent girls.

The report also said, "HPV vaccines are perhaps the single most important tool available to significantly reduce the cervical cancer burden, yet many countries in the Caribbean and Central America have not yet introduced the vaccines. Where they have been introduced, achieving high vaccination coverage, which is essential for impact, continues to be a challenge. More education and dissemination of scientific evidence of HPV vaccine safety and effectiveness is needed."

A recent WHO publication on Cancer Prevention and Control calls for countries to integrate and scale up national cancer programs as a response to noncommunicable diseases, part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

PAHO "will continue to support Member States in their efforts to build capacity for HPV vaccine implementation and cervical cancer screening and treatment, and to improve monitoring and evaluation of comprehensive programs, through technical cooperation, exchange of experiences, and building on lessons from demonstration projects and research projects," the report said. 

Links

PAHO materials on cervical cancer
Fact sheets: Human Papillomavirus and Cervical Cancer