Population-based trends in cervical cancer incidence and net survival in Cyprus (2004-2017)
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) remains a preventable yet persistent public health challenge in Cyprus, with particular concern for women of reproductive age. In a setting where HPV vaccination and screening have the potential to substantially reduce disease burden, understanding recent trends is essential for guiding prevention and care. We examined CC incidence and survival among women in Cyprus between 2004 and 2017. We analysed data from the Cyprus Cancer Registry for women aged 15 years and older diagnosed with CC during 2004 to 2017, with follow-up through 2019. Tumours were classified as local, regional, distant, or unknown according to SEER Summary Stage. Age-specific and European age-standardized incidence rates were calculated. Incidence trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression and expressed as annual percentage change (APC). Five-year net survival was estimated using a flexible parametric survival model adjusted for age, period of diagnosis, and stage at diagnosis. A total of 446 CC cases were recorded. Overall incidence increased significantly over the study period (APC = 1.8%, p = 0.046), with a steeper increase among women aged 15-49 years (APC = 3.2%, p = 0.048). No statistically significant changes were observed in other age groups or by stage at diagnosis. In contrast, survival improved over time. Five-year net survival rose from 75.3% during 2004-2008 to 82.8% during 2014-2017, with gains observed across all stages, particularly among women diagnosed with distant-stage disease. These findings highlight a concerning rise in CC incidence, especially among younger women, alongside encouraging improvements in survival. This pattern suggests advances in diagnosis and treatment, but prevention is not yet having sufficient population-level impact. Strengthening HPV vaccination uptake, improving participation in cervical screening, and ensuring timely access to care should be public health priorities in Cyprus.
Key messages: • Cervical cancer incidence increased in Cyprus between 2004 and 2017, with the sharpest rise seen among women aged 15 to 49 years.
• Although survival improved over time, the findings highlight the need to strengthen HPV vaccination, screening, and timely access to care.
Related
- Incidence, prevalence, mortality and survival trends in women with endometrial-, ovarian- and cervical cancer in the Nordic countries (1980–2023) with focus on younger women (0–49 years old)
- Incidence, Mortality, and Survival Trends of Liver Cancer in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, Between 1980 and 2022.
- Sex- and Region-Specific Incidence and Mortality Trends in Laryngeal and Oropharyngeal Cancer: A 95,000-Case Population-Based Registry Analysis from Poland, 1999–2023
- Population-based registry analysis of cervical cancer trends in Tashkent, Uzbekistan 2014-2024.
- Healthcare Inequities and Structural Racism as Determinants of Treatment and Survival among Individuals Recently Diagnosed with Cervical Cancer from Two Diverse Population-Based Cancer Registries: The ACHIEVE Study
BibTeX
@article{pasumarthi2026populationbased,
title = {{Population-based trends in cervical cancer incidence and net survival in Cyprus (2004-2017)}},
author = {R Pasumarthi and C Kosharis and C A Demetriou and C Constantinou and O Kolokotroni and A Demetriou and I Gregoriou and A Quattrocchi},
journal = {The European Journal of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1141},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1141},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Population-based trends in cervical cancer incidence and net survival in Cyprus (2004-2017)
AU - R Pasumarthi
AU - C Kosharis
AU - C A Demetriou
AU - C Constantinou
AU - O Kolokotroni
AU - A Demetriou
AU - I Gregoriou
AU - A Quattrocchi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - The European Journal of Public Health
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1141
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1141
AB - Cervical cancer (CC) remains a preventable yet persistent public health challenge in Cyprus, with particular concern for women of reproductive age. In a setting where HPV vaccination and screening have the potential to substantially reduce disease burden, understanding recent trends is essential for guiding prevention and care. We examined CC incidence and survival among women in Cyprus between 2004 and 2017. We analysed data from the Cyprus Cancer Registry for women aged 15 years and older diagnosed with CC during 2004 to 2017, with follow-up through 2019. Tumours were classified as local, regional, distant, or unknown according to SEER Summary Stage. Age-specific and European age-standardized incidence rates were calculated. Incidence trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression and expressed as annual percentage change (APC). Five-year net survival was estimated using a flexible parametric survival model adjusted for age, period of diagnosis, and stage at diagnosis. A total of 446 CC cases were recorded. Overall incidence increased significantly over the study period (APC = 1.8%, p = 0.046), with a steeper increase among women aged 15-49 years (APC = 3.2%, p = 0.048). No statistically significant changes were observed in other age groups or by stage at diagnosis. In contrast, survival improved over time. Five-year net survival rose from 75.3% during 2004-2008 to 82.8% during 2014-2017, with gains observed across all stages, particularly among women diagnosed with distant-stage disease. These findings highlight a concerning rise in CC incidence, especially among younger women, alongside encouraging improvements in survival. This pattern suggests advances in diagnosis and treatment, but prevention is not yet having sufficient population-level impact. Strengthening HPV vaccination uptake, improving participation in cervical screening, and ensuring timely access to care should be public health priorities in Cyprus. Key messages: • Cervical cancer incidence increased in Cyprus between 2004 and 2017, with the sharpest rise seen among women aged 15 to 49 years. • Although survival improved over time, the findings highlight the need to strengthen HPV vaccination, screening, and timely access to care.
SN - 1101-1262
SN - 1464-360X
ER -