Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, with a five-year survival rate of 66%. Cases are largely caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Globally, cervical screenings help prevent the development of cervical cancer by assessing cervical cells for abnormalities and testing for HPV. In November 2021, the Lancet published a study showing how the national HPV vaccination program in England was highly successful at decreasing the risk of developing cervical cancer. The vaccination program focused on vaccinating girls between the ages of 12–13, and results showed a substantial reduction in cervical cancer and incidence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III (CIN3) in young women. Global immunisation of the HPV vaccine has been low, with a recent PubMed study showing that the immunisation coverage is approximately 12.2%.
According to GlobalData’s Clinical Trials Database, the number of cervical cancer trials peaked at 190 trials in 2021 (Figure 1). When assessing these trials, many focused on the efficacy of vaccination programs within specific countries, while others focused on treatment therapies. Globally, the US had the greatest portion of cervical cancer trials with 32.3%, followed by China with 24.7%.
