NCD Watch

Prevention of Cervical Cancer: Be Informed, Be Vaccinated and Be Screened

9 January 2024 (Tue)

Cervical cancer is one of the preventable and largely treatable cancers if detected early. In 2021, the Hong Kong Cancer Registry recorded 596 new cervical cancer cases, representing an increase of 30.4% from 457 cases in 2012. Among all newly diagnosed cervical cancer cases in 2021, over two-thirds (68.6%) of them were diagnosed between the age 25–64 with the median age at diagnosis of 56.5 years. Over two-fifths of the newly diagnosed cervical cancer cases belonged to an advanced stage when diagnosed. To guard against cervical cancer, the Department of Health (DH) urges females to have increased awareness of the disease, get vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and have regular screening for cervical cancer.

Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with high-risk types of HPV, in particular HPV types 16 and 18 which together account for about 70% of cervical cancer worldwide. Therefore, cervical cancer is preventable through highly effective vaccination against HPV infection. Other primary measures that can reduce the risk of cervical cancer include taking appropriate precautions (such as practicing safer sex) to reduce the risk of contracting HPV and other sexually-transmitted diseases as well as no smoking.

As a tool for secondary prevention, cervical screening (by cytology or HPV testing) aims to timely detect and treat pre-cancerous changes of the cervix or early cancer before symptoms appear. The Cancer Expert Working Group on Cancer Prevention and Screening recommends women aged 25 to 64 who ever had sexual experience (including those being HPV vaccinated) to have regular cervical screening. The DH provides cervical screening for eligible women at Maternal and Child Health Centres. To make appointment for DH's cervical screening service, please call 3166 6631.

According to the Population Health Survey 2020-22, 52.1% of female aged 25–64 reported that they ever had cervical screening, in which 38.4% had the screening within 5 years. Among females aged 25–64 who reported that they never had or did not have regular cervical screening, a significant proportion indicated that they perceived them-selves as healthy with no symptoms of cervical cancer, or that they did not need the test. The SAR Government is committed to reducing the impacts of cervical cancer among local females, echoing the WHO’s Call for Action to accelerate elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem. The DH will continue using a variety of strategies to increase public awareness of cervical cancer prevention as well as to encourage the uptake of both HPV vaccination and cervical screening among local females. For more information on cervical cancer prevention and screening, please visit the designated website at www.cervicalscreening.gov.hk.

Source: NCD Watch January 2024