Cervical cancer in South Africa: An overview of current status and prevention strategies

Abstract

Current estimates are that 493 243 women are diagnosed with
cervical cancer per year and 273 505 die from the disease.1
Globally it is the second most common cancer in women and the
most common in developing countries. In Africa, which has a
population of 267.9 million women aged 15 years or greater, it is
estimated that 78 897 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer
annually and 61 671 (78%) will die from the disease, which is a
significantly higher incidence to mortality ratio than found in
developed countries (http://www.who.int/hpvcentre). There is
some regional variation in age-standardised incidence rates (ASIR)
of cervical cancer in Africa, with ASIRs of 42.7/100 000 reported
in eastern Africa, 28/100 000 in middle Africa, 12.1/100 000 in
northern Africa, 38.2/100 000 in southern Africa and 29.3/100 000
in western Africa.