Addressing the Global Challenge: Strategies for Cervical Prevention and Early Detection within WHO's 90-70-90 Framework

Cervical cancer represents a substantial global health issue, standing as the third most prevalent cancer globally and the principal cause of cancer-associated mortality in women, with an uneven burden shouldered by less developed countries. Despite being the most preventable malignancy, with nearly all cases attributed to HPV infection, which has a lifetime cumulative risk of 80% through sexual transmission, cervical cancer remains a pressing issue. National cervical cytology screening programs have been implemented to identify cervical abnormalities, lesions, and early malignancies in eligible women. However, the utilization of screening techniques is declining, and due to resource constraints, screening schemes have not been adopted in less-developed economies. Several nations have embraced alternative screening techniques, such as Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA), which have shown impacts on mortality and morbidity rates. With the rising accessibility of efficacious HPV screening and self-testing, there will be a necessity to reconfigure existing cervical screening programs. Furthermore, preventative HPV vaccination is an integral part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Strategy to Expedite the Eradication of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Issue, necessitating the restructuring of vaccination endeavors. This review article evaluates potential techniques for detecting precancerous lesions within the context of the WHO's 90-70-90 global policy for cervical cancer prevention and early diagnosis. The incidence and mortality rates are examined, highlighting the effectiveness of cervical cancer prevention efforts.