Source: Radio New Zealand
Professor Bev Lawton holding an HVP swab Charlie Dreaver
Health experts in New Zealand say that cervical cancer is not only preventable, we have the ability to eliminate it once and for all.
On average, about 175 New Zealanders are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and about 55 people die from it.
This goal isn’t unique to just eliminate it in this country, in fact the World Health Organization has a goal for global elimination as a public health problem by hitting key targets by 2030.
Those targets centre around vaccination, screening and treatment.
What is elimination and how do we get there?
The WHO defines elimination as having fewer than 4 cases per 100,000 women each year.
Professor Bev Lawton at Victoria University of Wellington is excited about the possibilities.
“There’s very few things in health that if you get the job done, we’ve eliminated it.”
She is the founder and director of Te Tātai Hauora o Hine – the National Centre for Women’s Health Research Aotearoa.
Professor Bev Lawton, founder of Te Tātai Hauora o Hine. Charlie Dreaver
Professor Lawton doesn’t think that 2030 timeframe will be possible for New Zealand – but perhaps 2038 if we mobilize everyone.
That’s because the vast majority of cervical cancer cases are caused by a common sexually transmitted infection, known as the Human papillomavirus – or HPV – which is preventable.
“We know that if you get persistent infections, they will lead to irritation. So persistent infection can lead to cancer, but only in some people. So if you’ve got the virus it doesn’t mean you’ve got the cancer.”
Professor Lawton said that’s why nationwide primary HPV screening, which the government rolled-out nationwide in 2023, is so important.
The self-tests somewhat resemble a covid-19 self test – a test tube with a swab inside.
Swab used for testing for HPV. Angus Dreaver
It’s a small test but one that helped save the life of Alice Hyatt who lives near Nelson.
Life-saving screening in action
Hyatt went in for a screening in 2023, which came back positive for HPV18 – a higher-risk strain of the Human papillomavirus.
Alice Hyatt, cancer survivor, who’s early detection of cervical cancer using HPV swabbing saved her life. Alice Hyatt
Further testing found she had cancer, but it was caught early.
“She [my gynaecologist] rang me and she just said, you’ve basically saved your own life just by going to have that one swab.”
But screening is just one tool and the HPV vaccine was added to New Zealand’s vaccine schedule in 2008.
Currently it’s free for everyone of all genders from ages 9-27.
However, Cancer Society CEO Nicola Coom said that while New Zealand is doing reasonably well with screening, it’s not doing so well when it comes to vaccination – especially among Rangatahi Maori.
Elimination won’t be without its obstacles
“The current HPV vaccination uptake for Māori 15 [years old] and under is about 51 percent. So that’s approximately 9 percent, 10 percent less than non Māori. I think there’s a whole lot of things that we can be doing there,” she said.
And the Cancer Society has recently told political parties what the country needs to make elimination possible in its Manifesto.
Professor Bev Lawton and Nicola Coom Cancer Society
That includes fully funding the national screening Programme, a National Cervical Cancer Elimination Action Plan and increased funding for a HPV immunisation awareness campaign.
In the meantime, both the National Centre for Women’s Health Research Aotearoa and the Cancer Society have this year formed a partnership, in a coordinated effort towards elimination.
“That’s gonna be a big few years. But there’s nothing more important than saving these wahine’s lives,” Coom said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand