Current Trends and Future Directions in the Prevention, Screening and Management of Cervical Cancer - A Review

Cervical cancer ranks as the second most common cancer affecting women globally, contributing to 20% of the total cancer burden. In 2023, Cancer.Net® reported around 13,960 new cases and 4,310 deaths among women due to this disease. By 2026, projections suggest that less developed countries will see a rise of 528,000 new cervical cancer cases, with 85% occurring in emerging nations. The disease is responsible for approximately 266,000 deaths annually, making up 8% of all cancer-related fatalities. In the U.S., about 11,500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and roughly 4,000 die from it. Despite these figures, developing nations have made strides in reducing cervical cancer rates through screening initiatives. Although prevention efforts-driven by nonprofits and government programs-have been in place for years, their impact has been modest. Initially focused on detecting and treating precancerous conditions, recent advancements now include HPV vaccination. In India, an estimated 272.8 million women qualify for cervical cancer screening, and 59.7 million girls are eligible for HPV immunization. Risk factors for cervical cancer include infection with HPV, smoking, having multiple sexual partners, long-term use of oral contraceptives, and early sexual activity. The future of management is being shaped by innovations such as immunotherapies, robotic surgery, self-sampling methods, and diagnostics aided by artificial intelligence. In order to meet the WHO 2030 eradication targets, this assessment addresses research gaps in the areas of epidemiology, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and future directions. Keywords: cervical cancer, current trends, HPV vaccination, screening, diagnostics, management and cervical cancer prevention.