Cervical cancer rates rising in Canada, but other countries are close to eliminating it
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Between 2015 and 2019, cervical cancer rates increased in Canada by 3.7 per cent a year, according to a recent report from the Canadian Cancer Society, which calls it the first significant increase in cervical cancer rates since 1984. More than 1,500 people a year are diagnosed with cervical cancer.
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Salvador says she fears cervical cancer rates will increase even more rapidly since those statistics don't include the period of the pandemic, which disrupted the health system and delayed screening and diagnosis for many illnesses, including cancer. Key drivers of the increase in cervical cancer are the shortage of family physicians and the lack of robust screening programs across the country, she says.
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Women and some men under the age of 30 have been vaccinated against HPV, reducing their risk of cervical cancer, but, for women between 30 and about 55 or older, early detection through screening continues to be the key to reducing cervical cancer rates, Salvador says.
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Poor access to primary care in much of Canada and a screening program that doesn't reach many people add to the risk of cervical cancers being detected at later stages. The risks in rural parts of the country — where access to primary care and screening is often more difficult — are higher.
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Salvador wants to see all provinces and territories switch from the traditional pap smear screening test to an HPV test, something already done in Ontario. HPV testing is considered more sensitive, meaning it is better at detecting high-risk HPV infection before abnormal cells develop. It also has the potential to be self-administered, something Salvador says will increase access, especially for those in remote areas or without good access to primary care.
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For now, she and other specialists in gynecological oncology are seeing fewer cases of pre-cancers being identified and more advanced-stage cancers.
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In Australia, which is on track to eliminate cervical cancer, the screening system is 'much more robust,' meaning it tracks and contacts women to let them know when they need screening, she notes.
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Cervical cancer is not the only gynecological cancer of concern, she says. In Canada, nine women a day are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest cancers involving women and one for which there is no screening. And more than 8,500 women will be diagnosed with uterine cancer this year.
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Salvador says advanced stage gynecological cancers are increasingly being diagnosed in emergency departments after symptoms have progressed.
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'An emergency room is a terrible location to be told you have cancer,' she said.
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A new worry is the spillover from health research cuts in the United States to issues related to women. Women specific health research already lags behind other research, Salvador says, and the cuts in the U.S. could create a period of stagnation when it comes to new treatments and innovations for gynecological cancers.
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'It is really disheartening.'
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Cision Canada
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World-first clinical trial confirms exercise improves survival for colon cancer Français
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We provide a compassionate support system for all those affected by cancer, across Canada and for all types of cancer. Together with patients, supporters, donors and volunteers, we work to create a healthier future for everyone. Because to take on cancer, it takes all of us. It takes a society. Help us make a difference. Call 1-888-939-3333 or visit today. About the Canadian Cancer Trials Group The Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) is a cancer clinical trials research cooperative that runs phase I–III trials to test anti-cancer and supportive therapies at over 85 hospitals and cancer centres across Canada. From their operations centre at Queen's University, CCTG has supported more than 600 trials enrolling 100,000 patients from 40 countries on 6 continents through a global network of 20,000 investigators and clinical trial staff. CCTG is the Canadian Coordinating Clinical Trial Network for the US NCTN and is a national program of the Canadian Cancer Society. 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