CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING IN THE ERA OF HPV VACCINATION: CHALLENGES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Cervical cancer remains a significant global health challenge, primarily attributed to persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types. The advent of prophylactic HPV vaccines has markedly reduced the incidence of HPV-related cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and, consequently, cervical cancer. However, integrating HPV vaccination into existing cervical cancer screening programs presents both opportunities and challenges. This study aims to evaluate the impact of HPV vaccination on the prevalence of high-grade cytological abnormalities among women attending their first cervical screening at age 25. Utilizing a retrospective cohort design, we analyzed cytology at Lady Willingdon Hospital Lahore results from 2023 to 2024, correlating them with HPV vaccination uptake data. Our findings indicate a significant reduction in the rate of high-grade cytology from 3.7% in the pre-vaccination cohort (2015–2018) to 1.5% in the post-vaccination cohort (2019–2022) (p < 0.001). These results underscore the early positive impact of HPV vaccination on cervical cytological outcomes. Despite these promising findings, challenges persist, including suboptimal vaccination coverage and disparities in screening participation. Addressing these issues is crucial for optimizing the synergistic benefits of vaccination and screening. Future directions should focus on enhancing vaccine uptake, particularly among under-screened populations, and integrating self-sampling methodologies to improve screening accessibility. This study contributes novel evidence supporting the efficacy of HPV vaccination in reducing high-grade cervical abnormalities and highlights the need for adaptive strategies in cervical cancer prevention programs.