The European response to the WHO call to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. Issue 2 (4th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: 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
• Is Part Of: International journal of cancer. Volume 148:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 277
• Page End: 284
• Publication Date: 2020-08-04
• Subjects: cervical cancer screening -- COVID‐19 -- elimination of cervical cancer -- Europe -- HPV vaccination -- WHO; Cancer -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Prevention -- Periodicals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33189
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7136

Abstract

Abstract: The age‐standardised incidence of cervical cancer in Europe varies widely by country (between 3 and 25/100000 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. Abstract : What's new? Cervical cancer incidence, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage, and screening performance vary widely across Europe. This report addresses for the first time the issue of how Europe should respond to the ambitious call from the World Health Organization to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer to less than 4/100, 000/year. To meet this target, all European countries should put in place programs to reach 90% and 70% of HPV vaccination and screening coverage, respectively, and manage 90% of screen‐positive women by 2030. Despite the temporary interruptions of prevention activities caused by COVID‐19, the pandemic should not deviate stakeholders from this ambition.