Cervical cancer is the fastest-rising cancer in Canada, doctors warn

Medical groups raised the alarm at a news conference in Ottawa on Wednesday, warning that despite being almost entirely preventable, cervical cancer rates are increasing as vaccination and screening efforts stall, according to CityNews Toronto.

Officials from the Society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada and the Women’s Health Coalition of Canada said Canada has the medical tools to eliminate the disease but lacks coordinated national implementation.

“We have the tools to make cervical cancer the first cancer ever eliminated in Canada,” said Dr. Shannon Salvador, president of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada, as quoted by The Canadian Press.

“We have the medical expertise. We just need the political will," she added.

Canada has pledged to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. However, health advocates say progress is lagging. National HPV vaccination rates, a cornerstone of prevention, remain below targets, with roughly 64% of eligible children completing the recommended vaccine series, CityNews Toronto reported.

More than 90% of cervical cancer cases are linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted infection that can be prevented through vaccination.

Experts say vaccine uptake varies significantly across provinces, with misinformation and access barriers contributing to lower coverage.

Dr. Sarah Kean, a gynecologist in Winnipeg, said rising incidence rates reflect broader policy shortcomings.

“Our rate is more than double that of countries already nearing elimination targets,” she said, according to The Canadian Press. “This is a national health crisis.”

Advocates are calling for a nationwide transition to HPV DNA-based screening and expanded access to self-collection testing kits, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Carmen Wyton, president of the Women’s Health Coalition of Canada, urged federal lawmakers to introduce legislation standardizing HPV vaccination and screening access across provinces.

“We must make prevention and early detection equitable for all Canadians,” she said, as quoted by The Canadian Press.

Without stronger intervention, experts warn Canada risks missing its elimination goal, even as countries such as Australia and Sweden approach benchmarks for eradicating cervical cancer.