Overcoming barriers to the eradication of cervical cancer: Women's health and rights

Abstract

The number of new cases of cervical cancer worldwide is likely underestimated due to the lack of cancer registries; however cervix cancer is the second most common cancer for women worldwide and the first for under-resourced nations and regions where the majority of deaths occur. It is the biggest cause of years of life lost for women from cancer in the developing world. The development of this cancer requires infection of the cervix with high risk subtypes of the human papilloma virus which is virtually always acquired by sexual exposure. Declines in the rates of cervical cancer have been directly correlated with investment in screening programs for detection of pre-malignant and early cervical cancers linked to the availability of treatment. In addition the development of vaccines for the high risk subtypes 16 and 18 offers the opportunity to prevent initial infection by vaccination prior to exposure to these subtypes. Cervical cancer a major cause of womens morbidity and mortality is nowlargely preventable through vaccination for future generations (primary prevention) and screen and treat programs (secondary prevention) to prevent deaths for present generations. Lack of access to the vaccine or screening programs represents a failure to address international development goals and targets related to reproductive health denying women their fundamental human rights. Girls and women should be an urgent priority investment for governments and cervical cancer control should be an important part of that agenda. (excerpt)