From January 1, 2025, cervical cancer screening will no longer be done every three years by smear test, but every five years by a human papillomavirus (HPV) screening test.
This development aims to better protect women’s health and to rely on more effective detection methods adapted to recent scientific data.
Cervical cancer
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women, with approximately 660,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths in 2022. Incidence rates and Mortality rates are higher in low- and middle-income countries, due to limited access to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination services, testing and treatment. This cancer is caused by persistent HPV infection, and women living with HIV are at six times greater risk of developing it.
The crucial role of screening
Although this cancer usually grows slowly, it can be prevented through early detection, allowing precancerous lesions to be detected before they develop into cancer. According to a report on the performance of the established Belgian health system available here, we learn that “in 2021, the cervical cancer screening rate in Belgium was lower than the EU-14 average (59 .6%) but higher than that of the EU-27 (53.2%).” In addition, the WHO has set three targets to be achieved by 2030 to put all countries on the path to elimination in the coming decades: that 90% of girls are fully vaccinated against HPV by the age of 15 years, that 70% of women have benefited from quality screening at ages 35 and 45 and that 90% of women with cervical disease receive treatment. In Belgium, current screening is based on a cervical smear, carried out every three years in women aged 25 to 64. This smear can look for cellular abnormalities that may indicate HPV infection or precancerous changes. However, recent scientific studies have demonstrated that HPV detection, rather than traditional cytological examination, is a more reliable method for identifying women at risk of developing cervical cancer. In this regard, Belgium has decided to modify its screening protocol.
The new HPV screening test
From January 1, 2025, screening will focus on the HPV test, which consists of looking for the presence of the virus in the cells of the cervix. This test will be carried out every five years from the age of 30. This approach has several advantages: the HPV test is more sensitive than the smear in detecting high-risk infections and can identify women at risk of developing cancer well before serious symptoms appear. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have supported this transition, supporting the effectiveness of early detection of HPV to prevent cervical cancers.
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