Publication of IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening

Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Handbooks of Cancer Prevention series is now available online.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer type in women worldwide, and the fourth most common cause of cancer death in women. A Working Group of 27 independent international experts, convened by IARC between June and October 2020, reviewed the scientific evidence and assessed the cancer-preventive and adverse effects of various methods of screening for cervical cancer.

This publication is an important update of the previous IARC Handbook on cervical cancer screening (Volume 10, published in 2005). Volume 18 provides evidence-based evaluations of the effectiveness of five methods of cervical cancer screening in reducing cervical cancer incidence and/or mortality. The Working Group also reviewed the body of evidence and provided conclusive statements on the comparative effectiveness of those screening methods that are established to reduce cervical cancer incidence and/or mortality. In addition, the Working Group provided an updated literature review on the determinants of participation in screening programmes and on emerging techniques, as well as on the different categories of women at differential risk and the surveillance strategies for such women.

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