Cervical cancer screening & HPV vaccination: a comprehensive approach to cervical cancer control

Abstract

India with its highest share of global burden of cervical cancer has to implement a population based cervical cancer control program to reduce the number of deaths. There are new screening options available like visual inspection after acetic acid application (VIA) test, single visit approach to screening and treatment etc. Emergence of the two effective vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV), the necessary cause of cervical cancer, has introduced a fresh lease of life to the cervical cancer control strategies. The current high cost of the vaccines is a major impediment to implement a vaccine-based primary prevention approach.