Screenings and vaccine have significantly decreased fatality rate of cervical cancer - expert

Women's Diseases and Obstetrics Specialist Prof. Dr Faruk Buyru announced that deaths due to cervical cancer have become less fatal with screenings and, along with the vaccine, the frequency of cancer has decreased.
In his statement within the scope of "January 1-31 Cervical Cancer Awareness Month," Buyru also said that every year, 500,000 women worldwide and approximately 2,000 women in Türkiye are diagnosed with cervical cancer. He noted that this disease, usually emerging after the age of 50, has started to occur in young women in recent times.
Underlining that cervical cancer is transmitted sexually and through the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Buyru warned, "It is actually a non-fatal disease that can be easily treated when caught in the very early stages, and its progression can be prevented. However, if screening methods are not applied and neglected, it can lead to fatal results."
Emphasizing that the decrease in mortality rates in cervical cancer is due to early-stage tests, Buyru continued, "The disease, when detected early through screening, ceases to be fatal. Another reason for its rare occurrence in society is the vaccine. The vaccine developed against high-risk HPV types is protective against 9 virus strains. It is also a vaccine that can be administered to girls and boys from the age of 9 onwards to prevent genital warts and cervical cancer. Its effectiveness is quite high. It can be administered in 2 doses between the ages of 9-14 and in 3 doses after the age of 15. While it was recommended to be administered up to the age of 26 until a while ago, now it can be applied from the age of 9 up to the age of 45. The vaccine has been included in the vaccination schedule in 150 countries worldwide and can be applied free of charge to girls and boys, even in advanced ages."

"Early detection of cervical cancer is provided through the widespread Cancer Early Diagnosis, Screening, and Education Centers (KETEM) nationwide, and he emphasized that free HPV screening, which is applied to women over 30 at these centers, should be repeated every 5 years," Buyru pointed out while concluding his comments.