Cervical Health Awareness Month

Overview

Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers we know almost exactly how to prevent. It's driven by persistent infection with high-risk strains of HPV (human papillomavirus), especially types 16 and 18, and the combination of HPV vaccination plus routine screening can stop it before it ever becomes cancer.

Impact

Even though we have the tools to prevent it, cervical cancer still kills a staggering number of women every year, with the heaviest toll falling on low- and middle-income countries where screening isn't available. In the US, gaps in vaccination and follow-up care mean cases still happen that absolutely didn't have to, and survivors often deal with lasting effects on fertility, sexual health, and mental well-being long after treatment ends.

Medical Overview

HPV infection usually clears on its own, but when it sticks around, it can slowly turn normal cervical cells into precancerous lesions (called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) over the course of years. That slow progression is actually good news, because it gives us a long window to catch and treat things early. Current guidelines lean toward primary HPV DNA testing (sometimes paired with a Pap, sometimes not) starting at age 25 to 30, with longer intervals between tests if results are negative. The HPV vaccine covers up to nine of the cancer-causing strains and works best when given before someone becomes sexually active, which is why it's recommended in early adolescence. Precancerous changes can often be watched or removed with a procedure like LEEP, while invasive cancer is treated with surgery, chemoradiation, and increasingly immunotherapy. The WHO's elimination strategy is aiming for 90% HPV vaccination of girls by age 15, 70% screening coverage, and 90% treatment of any disease that's found.

References

1. Wloszek E, Krupa K, Skrok E, et al.. HPV and Cervical Cancer - Biology, Prevention, and Treatment Updates . Current Oncology . 2025.
2. Perkins RB, Wentzensen N, Guido RS, Schiffman M. Cervical Cancer Screening: A Review . JAMA . 2023.
3. Jensen JE, Becker GL, Jackson JB, Rysavy MB. Human Papillomavirus and Associated Cancers: A Review . Viruses . 2024.