Cervical cancer deaths in young women have hit a historic low – zero – for the first time in a five-year period. A landmark study published in The Lancet has pinpointed the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme as the driving force behind this remarkable achievement. Rolled out for school-age girls in 2008, the vaccine has been credited with averting an estimated 23 deaths among women aged 20 to 24 between 2020 and 2024 – a stark contrast to the 20 annual fatalities recorded in this age group before vaccination.
Professor Peter Sasieni, lead researcher at Queen Mary University of London, hailed the findings as 'incredible', highlighting the vaccine's potential to almost eliminate a specific type of cancer. The study revealed that individuals vaccinated at the recommended age of 12 or 13 now face a near-zero risk of succumbing to the disease before reaching 30. Prior to the vaccination campaign, approximately 20 deaths per year were observed in this younger age group.
Cancer Research UK welcomed these findings as an 'incredible milestone', but also sounded a cautionary note regarding current vaccination rates. Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, underscored the vaccine's effectiveness in preventing cervical cancer and saving lives. However, data from the UK Health Security Agency shows that only 76% of girls in England were vaccinated by the age of 15 in 2024-25 – falling short of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) target of 90% uptake necessary for the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem.
Cervical cancer remains the 14th most common cancer among females in the UK, with approximately 3,300 diagnoses annually. The virus responsible for an estimated 99% of these cases – primarily transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact – often resolves naturally but can also lead to abnormal cell changes that may develop into cancer years later. The study's authors anticipate a continued decline in cervical cancer deaths as more vaccinated individuals age.
The UK government aims to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue by 2040, a goal that will require maintaining high HPV vaccination levels and addressing the current shortfall in uptake. Professor Sasieni described the reduction in deaths as merely the 'tip of the iceberg', suggesting many more lives will be saved as vaccinated generations mature. Crucially, despite the success of the HPV vaccine, women aged 25 to 64 are still advised to attend regular cervical screening appointments – commonly known as smear tests – as recommended by NHS guidelines.
Source: The Lancet, Cancer Research UK, UK Health Security Agency, Queen Mary University of London