Cervical Cancer
Cervical Cancer Information for Patients and Health Professionals
Overview
Widespread use of the Papanicolaou test (Pap smear), which detects cervical cancer and pre-cancerous lesions, has made cervical cancer one of the most preventable cancers. Incidence and mortality rates have decreased steadily over the past five decades. However, in the U.S. it is expected that an estimated 11,150 new cases will be diagnosed, and an estimated 3,670 women will die from the disease in 2007. Older, poorer, and less educated women are less likely to be screened and screening is not available in many low-resource regions of the world. Worldwide, cervical cancer has a significant impact, with nearly 500,000 new cases and nearly 250,000 deaths reported annually.
In June 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of a new vaccine to prevent infection from four types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Two of the HPV types targeted by the vaccine (HPV-16 and HPV-18) are responsible for about 70% of the cases of cervical cancer worldwide. The other two HPV types (HPV-6 and HPV-11) cause approximately 90% of the cases of genital warts. The vaccine, made by Merck & Co., Inc., is based on laboratory research and technology developed at the NCI. For more information, go to Human Papillomavirus Vaccines for Cervical Cancer.
- Gynecologic Cancers Topic Search — Cancer Topic Searches are prepared literature searches from the National Library of Medicine's PubMed database. Citations on a specific sub-category can be retrieved, or results limited by a date range.
Statistics
Cervical cancer incidence, mortality, and survival, including analysis by race and ethnicity, and information about trends in NCI-funded cervical cancer research.
- A Snapshot of Cervical Cancer
- Fast Stats: Cervix Uteri Cancer
- Cancer Stat Fact Sheets: Cervix Uteri
- New Malignancies Following Cancer of the Cervix Uteri, Vagina, and Vulva (SEER Cancer Registries, 1973-2000)
NCI Research on Cervical Cancer
Information about NCI-funded grants, clinical trials, and other programs and initiatives with components that primarily target cervical cancer.
- Progress in Cervical Cancer Research (NCI Women's Health Report FY 2005-2006)
- Cervical Cancer Research Projects
- SPORE in Cervical Cancer (Specialized Programs of Research Excellence)
- Cervical Cancer Studies (Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics)
Risk Factors
Prevention
- Cervical Cancer Prevention Programs (Division of Cancer Prevention)
- Clinical Trials in Cervical Cancer Prevention
- Cervical Cancer Clinical Prevention Trial Results
Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Prognosis
- Cancer Control Resources for Cervical Cancer Screening (Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T.)
- Cancer Biomarkers Research Group (Division of Cancer Prevention)
- The ASCUS-LSIL Triage Study for Cervical Cancer (ALTS) (Division of Cancer Prevention)
- Clinical Trials in Cervical Cancer Diagnosis
Treatment
Health Disparities
- Research on Health Disparities in Cervical Cancer (Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics)
- Patient Navigator Program (Cancer Disparities Research Partnership Program, DCTD)
Cervical Cancer Reports
Reports on progress, gap areas, and recommended future directions in cervical cancer research.
- Progress in Cervical Cancer Research (NCI Women's Health Report FY 2005-2006)
- Cancer Trends Progress Report — 2005 Update: Cervical Cancer Screening
- Excess Cervical Cancer Mortality: A Marker for Low Access to Health Care in Poor Communities (June 2005)
- Report of the Gynecologic Cancers Progress Review Group (November 2001)
- DES Research Update 1999