Edited and Reviewed by: Robert Fruscio, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy
*Correspondence: Manoj P. Menon,
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Despite effective methods to both prevent and screen for cervical cancer, invasive cervical cancer (ICC) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. While the incidence of ICC and mortality secondary to ICC has declined dramatically in high-income countries (HICs) – these gains are not universal. Indeed, ICC is the most common cause of cancer-related death in many low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). As such, there is an urgent need to develop and implement locally relevant interventions to achieve the World Health Organization (WHO) 90-70-90 cervical cancer elimination targets. The WHO aims to vaccinate 90% of girls, screen 70% of women, and treat 90% of women with cervical disease by 2030, however novel efforts are necessary to achieve these ambitious goals (
Given the relatively low rates of cervical cancer screening in Ethiopia,
To assess the availability and capacity of cervical cancer screening and treatment services in Kenya,
The prevention of cervical cancer incorporates both primary prevention strategies, via an effective vaccine, as well as secondary prevention, via treatment of pre-cancerous lesions. To inform the implementation of the most effective vaccine,
Hypothesizing that with increased utilization of the HPV vaccines, the genotypes of HPV may vary among those vaccinated and those unvaccinated
Given the need for cost-effective strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer and pre-cancerous lesions and recognizing the pathogenesis of cervical cancer,
Although the screening modalities vary among resource-abundant and resource-limited regions, the benefits of resource-relevant screening are clear. An obvious challenge of cervical cancer screening programs is the limited funds dedicated to cancer prevention.
Clinical services in LMICs are often funded and provided in a vertical fashion with the appropriate integration of relevant infrastructure (
The articles in this Research Topic highlight the burden of cervical cancer as well as necessary strategies to decrease the toll which disproportionately impacts LMICs. Although effective vaccines to prevent cervical cancer and screening techniques to identify pre-cancerous lesions exist, disparities persist with regard to clinical access. As such, the unnecessary burden cervical cancer remain. Further cost-effective efforts to incorporate the findings demonstrated in this Research Topic and specifically integrate cervical cancer screening and precancer treatment programs within existing health care programs are necessary to achieve the WHO cervical cancer elimination targets.
NM: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. LP: Writing – review & editing. MM: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft.
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The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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