A new survey commissioned by Big Pharma Roche has found that half of those polled “have either limited or no awareness” of the connection between a common infection and cervical cancer.
In the survey, undertaken by GWI on behalf of the Swiss major, 8,700 people across 12 countries in Latin America and Europe were asked about their understanding of human papillomavirus (HPV).
The results showed that half of those polled had an “inadequate understanding of HPV,” with nearly one-third being “unsure or unaware of it altogether.” It also found that around half have “either limited or no awareness” of the role HPV has in causing certain cervical cancers.
HPV is an extremely common infection of the skin that is made up of around 100 viruses. Most of us will get HPV at some point in our lives, with the most common route of exposure through close or sexual contact.
Most of the time people are unaware of the virus and have no effects. Still, in some people the virus can cause genital warts and, in others, certain strains of HPV can cause mutations that turn into several different cancers, including cervical, head and neck, vaginal, penile, anal and more.
HPV is the primary cause of cervical cancer, responsible for over 99% of cases, Roche says in its follow-up to the survey, finding that every year, more than 600,000 women worldwide are diagnosed with cervical cancer and over 340,000 die from the disease.
There are now HPV vaccination programs that have been rolled out globally over the past decade. However, these are fairly recent innovations, with older adults never being vaccinated and thus still at risk of cervical cancer as a result of HPV infections.
Roche says that 93% of “cervical cancers could be prevented entirely through appropriate screening and HPV vaccination.” Roche’s testing unit Roche Diagnostics markets the cobas HPV Test that seeks out HPV 16 and HPV 18, the two main HPV strains that can cause cervical cancer. This can be used as a self-testing kit at home.
Roche is using the survey to highlight the need for greater screening around the world and looking to remove the barriers to testing, which include “access to healthcare, social and economic barriers, history of traumatic experience, cultural concerns and embarrassment,” according to its report.
The survey also found that concerns about the testing procedure being painful were common (up to 63% in some countries), as well as a sense of discomfort about discussing their sexual history or sexuality with a healthcare provider (up to 57% in some countries).
Roche believes a self-testing kit may hold the answer to breaking those barriers.
“Thousands of women are needlessly dying from cervical cancer every year. This survey highlights some of the most important barriers to screening, as well as the opportunities we have to prevent disease and improve women's health,” said Joanna Sickler, vice president of Health Policy and External Affairs at Roche Diagnostics.
“With many women reporting being open to new screening tools like self-collection, it has never been more important that communities, health systems, governments and innovators come together to seize this opportunity, and provide the early detection and treatment needed to avoid so many preventable deaths.”
"This survey highlights both the challenges ahead and the significant opportunities we have to advance HPV prevention," Sickler said. "By enhancing public education about HPV risks and reimagining how we deliver care, we can drive higher screening rates and make meaningful progress in combating cervical cancer."