Cervical cancer is emerging as Canada's fastest-rising cancer, dubbed a 'silent national health crisis' by medical professionals. Doctors are calling on the federal government to intensify efforts to eliminate the disease, despite an existing action plan aiming for elimination by 2040.
Dr. Shannon Salvador, president of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada, stated that in 2025, an estimated 1,650 Canadians were diagnosed with cervical cancer, with 430 expected to die from the preventable disease. She highlighted that Canada's reliance on Pap testing and insufficient HPV vaccination rates are key issues.
"Our policies have not kept pace," Salvador remarked, noting the national HPV vaccine completion rate has stalled at 64 percent, far below the target for elimination. She characterized this as a "policy failure."
The Society recommends an immediate national shift to HPV DNA testing for screening and the implementation of HPV self-collection swabs and kits to improve accessibility.
Dr. Sarah Kean, provincial lead for cervical cancer in Manitoba, emphasized that Indigenous women face higher diagnosis rates and worse outcomes due to systemic barriers, geographic isolation, and racism.
Experts call for robust, accessible HPV screening across Canada with clear national standards, stressing that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers.
The cost of treating cervical cancer in Canada was $132 million in 2024. Reports indicate that while cancer rates declined significantly between 1984 and 2005, the rate of decrease has slowed dramatically since, with some years showing an increase.
