In brief

• The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that in 2026 about 1,700 Canadian women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 450 of them will die from it.
• Most cases occur in women aged 35–54.
• HPV vaccination and screening tests make it possible to prevent the disease or detect it before cancer develops.
• The main problem remains not attending screening and lack of further diagnostics after an abnormal result.

Prevention and detection

This is a cancer that can largely be prevented. Vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) protects against the most dangerous virus types that can lead to the development of the disease (Nowotwór, któremu można zapobiegać, zbiera coraz większe żniwo w Kanadzie - GAZETA dziennik Polonii w Kanadzie – gazetagazeta.com). Screening tests make it possible to detect precancerous changes before they turn into cancer.

Doctors point to progress in diagnostics. Besides classic cytology, in which cells collected from the cervix are assessed, tests are now available that check whether HPV is present in the body. New tests make it possible to catch changes at an earlier stage.

Where the problem lies

Specialists indicate that the main barrier remains the lack of attendance at screening tests, and the fact that after an abnormal result women do not proceed to further diagnostics. Patients who do not come for regular screening often only see a doctor when the disease is already advanced.

What is worth knowing

If a woman receives an abnormal screening result, she should consult a gynecologist as soon as possible and undergo the recommended further tests. For symptoms such as bleeding outside of menstruation or bleeding after intercourse, it is also worth seeing a doctor without delay.