Cervical cancer begins in the cells of the cervix and is primarily caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted virus. Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, with approximately 660,000 new cases in 2022. Cervical cancer is highly treatable when found early; routine screening and HPV vaccinations therefore play a vital role in improving patient outcomes. On 10 December 2024, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) proposed new guidelines for cervical cancer screening that included self-screening for the first time. If the proposed guidelines are accepted, the new recommendation will likely drive an increase in new cervical cancer cases.
The draft proposal includes three screening methods: HPV tests, Pap tests, and co-testing (Pap and HPV). The USPSTF recommends that women ages 21-29 years screen every three years with a Pap test and women ages 30-65 screen with an HPV test every five years; alternatively, women ages 30-65 can get a Pap test every three years or co-test every five years. In a notable update, the UPSTF has now incorporated self-collected HPV tests into its screening guidelines for women starting at age 30. Women can now use a swab to collect their own samples, with the UPSTF confirming that this method provides results as accurate as those obtained by a healthcare professional. Research indicates that self-collection boosts screening rates, particularly among groups that are typically underserved. In general, self-collection provides women with an alternative that can be especially beneficial for those facing barriers to care or discomfort with conventional screening.
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In the US, leading data and analytics company GlobalData‘s epidemiologists forecast the number of diagnosed incident cases of cervical cancer in women ages 18 and older to be approximately 13,800 in 2025, and expect this to grow to about 14,300 cases by 2030. However, if these new guidelines take effect, the number of diagnosed incident cases will likely surpass the current forecast estimates through 2030 as a result of increased case identification. The new self-screening method will help capture more of the potentially at-risk population and initiate screening in individuals presenting with or without symptoms. The public comment period on the draft recommendation is open until 13 January 2025, with final recommendations expected to be released in the next few months. GlobalData epidemiologists suggest a more thorough analysis of the self-screening data be conducted over the next five years to better evaluate and measure the impact of these new guidelines.
