| Cervical Cancer |         |
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Lifetime Risk of Cervical Cancer
There is significant global variation in the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with, or dying from, cervical cancer. For example, in the US, where Pap screening is well established, 1 in 127 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in their lifetime, and 1 in 370 women will die from the disease (Ries et al 2005). The figures are similar in the EU, where 1 in 108 women will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime, and 1 in 294 women will die from cervical cancer (Boyle and Ferlay 2005). In developing countries, where organised screening programmes are less common, 1 in 66 women will develop cervical cancer before the age of 64, and 1 in 125 women will die from the disease before this age.
Region | Risk of being diagnosed with cervical cancer | Risk of death from cervical cancer |
USA | 0.77 | 0.27 |
European Union | 0.93 | 0.34 |
Developing countries* | 1.5 | 0.8 |
*Cumulative risk age 0-64 years | ||
Lifetime risks associated with cervical cancer in populations with and without screening programmes | ||
(Reference: Ries et al 2005; Boyle & Ferlay 2005; Ferlay et al 2004.)
In countries with well-implemented screening programmes, the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with, or dying from, cervical cancer is reduced (Schiller and Davies 2004), although pockets of women who do not have access to screening may still exist. Screening can detect the early signs of cervical cancer, allowing for prompt treatment to prevent the development of invasive and potentially fatal cervical cancer. However, compliance is essential for a successful screening programme, and even in countries with an established programme, at least 50% of cervical cancers are diagnosed in women who have either not been screened, or are not screened regularly (Schiller and Davies 2004).
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