Cervical cancer kills three times as many Romanian women

The global day of action for the elimination of cervical cancer is marked in Romania, on November 17, for the 4th consecutive year. In Romania, the mortality rate due to this disease is three times higher than the European Union average.

Official statistics show that, in 2023, 2,888 new cases of cervical cancer were registered in Romania and 1,177 women lost their lives as a result of this disease.

Romania joined the initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) to increase the level of information and awareness of the population regarding cervical cancer, a condition with a major negative impact on women’s health at the global and national level.

Romania continues to record the highest incidence and mortality from cervical cancer

“According to the data of the European Cancer Information System (ECIS) of the Joint Research Center, in 2022, Romania presents an incidence rate of 32.6 per 100,000 women, more than two and a half times higher than the EU average of 11 ,7 new cases per 100,000 women and a standardized cervical cancer mortality rate of 16.8 per 100,000 women, three times higher than the EU average of 5.3 deaths per 100,000 women.

The data provided by the National Plan for the prevention and fight against cancer in Romania (Law 293/2022) places cervical cancer as the third most frequent location of cancer in women, after breast cancer and colorectal cancer, a situation that differs from the European profile , where the main 3 localizations of neoplasia in women are breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and bronchopulmonary cancer”, show the data made public by the Dâmboviţa Public Health Directorate, on the occasion of the Day of Action for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer.

“The projections of the European Cancer Information System (ECIS) for Romania estimate that, compared to the value recorded in 2022, the incidence of cervical cancer will increase by 1.4% in 2025 and by 2.01% in 2030 , and mortality from cervical cancer will increase by 2.1% in 2025 and by 2.2% in 2030”; specifies the source cited by News.ro.

Global strategy launched by WHO

On November 17, 2020, WHO launched the Global Strategy to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, through a resolution adopted by 194 countries.

The main objective of the strategy is that by the year 2030 the incidence of cervical cancer will decrease and remain below 4 new cases per 100,000 women, and reaching this objective is considered possible if three essential targets are met: 90% of girls are vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) until the age of 15, 70% of adult women to benefit from screening services with a successful test twice in the age range of 35-45 years and 90% of women detected with a positive test to have timely access to the treatment of pre-cancerous and malignant lesions.

Cervical cancer remains one of the most common types of cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in women around the globe.