New HPV project targets cervical cancer deaths
While most HPV infections clear on their own, some lead to pre-cancerous changes in the cervix that, if left undetected and untreated, can develop into cancer.
Daily TribuneWhile most HPV infections clear on their own, some lead to pre-cancerous changes in the cervix that, if left undetected and untreated, can develop into cancer.
Every day, 12 Filipino women lose their lives to cervical cancer despite its being preventable.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in the Philippines. In 2023, an estimated 8,549 new cases were diagnosed, and 4,380 women died — equivalent to 15.5 cases and eight deaths per 100,000 women.
Without effective intervention, more than 162,000 women in the Philippines could die from cervical cancer between 2020 and 2070, according to experts.
Almost all cases are caused by persistent infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus transmitted through sexual contact.
While most HPV infections clear on their own, some lead to pre-cancerous changes in the cervix that, if left undetected and untreated, can develop into cancer.
Dr. Christia Padolina, Cervical Cancer Elimination program director, said education about the disease should begin with elementary and high school students.
“If you are able to educate adolescents, which is actually the target for the primary vaccination of nine to 15, then we’re better off simply because they are more aware of how to contract and not to contract HPV,” Padolina explained during a media launch on Tuesday, 19 August.
“They would be able to avoid risk-taking behavior that would make them better protected, and I think that’s the best way to approach the issue,” she added.
To advance the country’s goal of eliminating cervical cancer, Jhpiego, a global health non-profit affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, is offering an innovative approach to expand access to high-quality screening and treatment.
The Centralized Laboratory Model for HPV DNA Screening (CLAMS) brings essential cervical cancer services closer to women — particularly in densely populated urban areas — through HPV DNA testing, as recommended by the World Health Organization.
CLAMS includes a hub-and-spoke laboratory network to centralize HPV DNA testing, the use of self-collection to improve screening uptake, and same-day treatment with thermal ablation to address pre-cancerous lesions at the point of care.
The project has screened a total of 4,969 women across five Metro Manila cities using HPV DNA testing, with a positivity rate of seven percent — consistent with global standards.
Of those screened, 190 women received timely treatment for pre-cancerous lesions and referral services.
