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The European response to the WHO call to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem
Author(s) -
Arbyn Marc,
Gultekin Murat,
Morice Philippe,
Nieminen Pekka,
Cruickshank Maggie,
Poortmans Philip,
Kelly Daniel,
Poljak Mario,
Bergeron Christine,
Ritchie David,
Schmidt Dietmar,
Kyrgiou Maria,
Van den Bruel Ann,
Bruni Laia,
Basu Partha,
Bray Freddie,
Weiderpass Elisabete
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.33189
Subject(s) - cervical cancer , mandate , medicine , public health , population , incidence (geometry) , environmental health , cervical screening , vaccination , family medicine , pandemic , cancer , gynecology , political science , immunology , nursing , disease , covid-19 , pathology , physics , optics , infectious disease (medical specialty) , law
The age‐standardised incidence of cervical cancer in Europe varies widely by country (between 3 and 25/1 women‐years) in 2018. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage is low in countries with the highest incidence and screening performance is heterogeneous among European countries. A broad group of delegates of scientific professional societies and cancer organisations endorse the principles of the WHO call to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, also in Europe. All European nations should, by 2030, reach at least 90% HPV vaccine coverage among girls by the age of 15 years and also boys, if cost‐effective; they should introduce organised population‐based HPV‐based screening and achieve 70% of screening coverage in the target age group, providing also HPV testing on self‐samples for nonscreened or underscreened women; and to manage 90% of screen‐positive women. To guide member states, a group of scientific professional societies and cancer organisations engage to assist in the rollout of a series of concerted evidence‐based actions. European health authorities are requested to mandate a group of experts to develop the third edition of European Guidelines for Quality Assurance of Cervical Cancer prevention based on integrated HPV vaccination and screening and to monitor the progress towards the elimination goal. The occurrence of the COVID‐19 pandemic, having interrupted prevention activities temporarily, should not deviate stakeholders from this ambition. In the immediate postepidemic phase, health professionals should focus on high‐risk women and adhere to cost‐effective policies including self‐sampling.