Every Year, an Average of 178 Women in Armenia Diagnosed with Cervical Cancer, 115 Dying from It

Every year in Armenia, an average of 178 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, with 115 succumbing to the disease. This was reported by Armen Muradyan, the rector of Yerevan State Medical University.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally (accounting for 7.7% of cancer mortality in women). In 2020 alone, there were 604,127 new cases of cervical cancer and 341,831 deaths attributed to it.

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is currently recognized as the most acceptable and prevalent cause of cervical cancer. There is growing evidence that HPV is also a significant factor in the development of other anogenital cancers as well as cancers of the head and neck.

“Current assessments indicate that annually, on average, 178 women in Armenia are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 115 die from this disease. Cervical cancer ranks as the 8th most common cancer among women in Armenia and is the 2nd most common cancer among women aged 15-44. It is the 7th leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women residing in Armenia,” noted Muradyan.

Data on the prevalence of HPV in the population of Armenia is, overall, still lacking. However, in Western Asia, where Armenia is located, approximately 2.5% of women in the general population are currently infected with HPV types 16/18, which account for 72.4% of cases of invasive cervical cancer.

In terms of cervical cancer incidence, Armenia ranks second in the region (8.4 per 100,000 women), following Georgia (9.8 per 100,000 women). Armenia launched its first systematic cervical cancer screening program in January 2015. In the first year, around 110,000 women aged 30 to 60 underwent screening via Pap smears (with a coverage rate of about 30%). The three-year screening rate currently stands at 41%, which falls short of the international target of 70%.

The percentage of women in Armenia who have ever taken a Pap test is 37% (for the 25-65 age group) and 39% for those aged 30-49. The respective percentages of women who underwent the test in the last three years were 26% and 29% (2019 data).

Thanks to the implementation of screening and secondary prevention strategies in Armenia, approximately 15% of women who underwent screening in the past 1-3 years have been diagnosed with malignant neoplasms of the cervix. It should be noted that the incidence of cervical cancer has not significantly changed since the introduction of systematic screening in 2015.

The WHO’s global strategy for cervical cancer elimination aims to reduce the annual number of new cases to 4 or fewer per 100,000 women and sets three targets to be achieved by 2030 to put all countries on track towards elimination:

1. 90% of girls should be fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15
2. 70% of women should be screened with a high-quality test by age 35 and again by age 45
3. 90% of women identified with cervical disease should receive appropriate treatment.

Cervical cancer can be treated if diagnosed and treated early. Recognizing the symptoms and seeking medical advice for any complaints are vital steps,” wrote Muradyan.