3 days ago
‘Conquer HPV' conclave begins
The 'Conquer HPV (Human papillomavirus) & Cancer Conclave 2025' was launched here on Saturday (May 31) as part of a nationwide public health initiative led by the Serum Institute of India (SII).
India continues to face a significant burden of HPV-related diseases, particularly cervical cancer, which remains the second most common cancer among women in the country, said a release issued here.
According to the ICO/IARC Information Centre on HPV and Cancer (2023), India reports over 1.23 lakh new cervical cancer cases and over 77,000 related deaths annually. Apart from this, up to 90% of anal cancers & 63% of penile cancers are associated with HPV, it said.
Speakers at a discussion held here on the public health implications of HPV said that early awareness and timely prevention were essential, with peak HPV infection occurring between the ages of 15 to 25, according to the release.
