International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Cervical cancer could be eliminated within the next 50 years if countries implement national screening programmes, it has been claimed.

Professor Jack Cuzick, of the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine in London, UK, said detection of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes the disease, together with vaccination programmes against the virus, can help beat cancer providing it is globally accessible.

He claimed that while current vaccines protect against two cancer-causing strains of the HPV virus, seven others will be targeted by new treatments.

Professor Cuzick said that if you can eradicate the virus, the cancer will not appear.

"The current vaccine holds the promise of eradicating about 70 to 75 per cent of cervical cancers," he added.

"There are new vaccines being planned that will vaccinate against nine types. If they are successful, there should be no need to screen women that have been vaccinated at all. That's the long-term future: vaccination and no screening."

Earlier this month, UK high street store Boots Pharmacies announced plans to offer over-the-counter cervical cancer vaccinations to its customers.