Global Collaboration Paves the Way for Cervical Cancer Eradication
Cervical cancer, a devastating disease affecting millions of women worldwide, is on the brink of becoming the first human cancer to be eliminated through coordinated global efforts. A groundbreaking special issue of Cancer Biology & Medicine brings together leading experts from across the globe to explore the progress, challenges, and innovations in the fight against cervical cancer. This comprehensive collection covers a wide range of topics, from policy frameworks and epidemiological insights to digital health tools and therapeutic vaccines, offering a timely resource to accelerate the World Health Organization’s (WHO) ambitious 2030 targets for cervical cancer elimination and promote women’s health equity worldwide.
Every year, over 340,000 women succumb to cervical cancer, with the majority of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Despite being highly preventable through vaccination and early detection, cervical cancer remains the fourth most common cancer among women. In 2020, the WHO launched the Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer, setting ambitious “90-70-90” targets for vaccination, screening, and treatment by 2030. However, significant disparities in health resources, infrastructure, and implementation capacity pose a threat to progress. Addressing these challenges requires not only scientific breakthroughs but also strong policy alignment and international cooperation.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the 2025 World Women’s Summit in Beijing, Cancer Biology & Medicine has released a special issue dedicated to cervical cancer elimination. Guest-edited by Professor Youlin Qiao of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, this issue highlights global disparities, China’s contributions, and the collective scientific and policy innovations needed to accelerate progress. The journal’s mission to bridge cutting-edge oncology research with public health priorities, particularly in women’s health, is reflected in this special issue.
The special issue features ten diverse contributions, encompassing global perspectives, policy analysis, epidemiology, digital innovation, economic evaluation, and novel therapeutics. Key highlights include an editorial from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO) outlining global disparities and China’s contributions, a perspective on how policy modeling can guide resource-sensitive elimination strategies in low- and middle-income countries, and an original article analyzing cervical cancer burden and trends in China from 2000 to 2020, compared to four Asia-Pacific countries.
Other notable studies showcase technological and clinical advances, such as the first international evaluation of a bilingual digital colposcopy education tool (iDECO), which significantly improves diagnostic accuracy, and the development of a therapeutic multi-epitope protein vaccine targeting HPV16, demonstrating strong tumor regression in preclinical models.
Beyond these examples, the issue also covers research on HPV vaccination willingness, innovative triage algorithms in rural China, intelligent digital platforms for population-based screening, and the economic impact of government-organized programs. Together, these articles provide a comprehensive view of scientific, clinical, and policy innovations driving the global elimination of cervical cancer. The full collection is available online.
Cervical cancer stands as the only malignancy that can realistically be eliminated through vaccination, screening, and early treatment. This special issue underscores the collective knowledge and innovation required to achieve this goal. By combining science, policy, and equity, we can ensure that no woman is left behind in the global effort to eliminate cervical cancer.
Professor Youlin Qiao, Guest Editor of the issue
The timing of this issue coincides with renewed global attention to women’s health at the 2025 World Women’s Summit. By providing evidence-based insights across epidemiology, technology, economics, and therapeutics, Cancer Biology & Medicine aims to inform international collaboration and inspire action. The elimination of cervical cancer is not only a public health objective but also a milestone for gender equity and global health justice.
As the world moves closer to this unprecedented achievement, this special issue serves as both a progress report and a call to action: eliminating cervical cancer is a realistic goal within our lifetime, but only if the global community works together.