CureCervicalCancer is a leader in the effort to prevent cervical cancer in the developing world. Over half a million women acquire cervical cancer and more than 300,000 die from the disease each year worldwide. Over 85% of those cases and 90% of the fatalities occur in countries that lack proper screening and treatment programs, making this the second most fatal cancer among women in those regions.
In resource-poor areas, there are simply not enough resources to adequately deal with the cancer once it becomes invasive. Cervical cancer requires radical surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiation, treatments that are highly complex and prohibitively expensive for the vast majority of these affected populations. In the United States, cervical cancer mortality has been reduced by over 80% with the availability of Pap tests. However, this screening method is not feasible in many other countries that lack infrastructure, human resources, quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation of screening programs and financial means in general.
Cervical cancer is caused by exposure to the human papilloma virus (HPV) which can trigger the formation of precancerous lesions. If undetected and untreated, these abnormal cells can result in invasive cancer, which can then only be treated with advanced therapies. Virtually all cervical cancers are associated with HPV, though the majority of women with HPV will not develop cervical cancer. Women become more susceptible when factors such as poverty, isolation and other health conditions are present. Case in point, cervical cancer is known as an AIDS-defining cancer. Women with HIV/AIDS have a much greater chance of acquiring and dying from cervical cancer. CCC brings screening and treatment to the most vulnerable populations where these factors exist and are affecting women in large numbers.
According to the World Health Organization, there has been a dramatic global decline in cervical cancer rates over the last 40 years. Even so, annually in the United States, twelve thousand women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and over four thousand die from the disease. In resource-poor regions, the incidence of cervical cancer continues at disproportionate, epidemic rates in excess of 30 cases per 100,000 population. Malawi, Mozambique, Comoros, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania have rates above 55. In comparison, rates are below 2 per 100,000 in most developed countries.
Cervical Cancer Prevalence in Developing Countries
Though the incidence rates and corresponding fatalities are alarming, the hopeful takeaway is that cervical cancer can be prevented by a simple detection method paired with the treatment of precancerous cells using cryotherapy (low-tech freezing). Many lives can be saved and suffering avoided. The solution relies on the creation of a robust network of cervical cancer screening and treatment clinics. Prevention and early treatment reduce cervical cancer rates by 90%.
Our “See and Treat” method is recognized by the WHO as the gold standard for resource-poor areas, particularly when multiple visits are not feasible. CCC targets countries where the mortality rate is highest. These areas more urgently require screening and prevention because treatment is least available. Early detection of precancerous cells allows for simple treatment that will prevent cancer from developing. Our international “Clinic in a Suitcase” model is provided at no cost to the patients and delivered at partner medical facilities. Our model establishes a full clinic, raises awareness, trains local health workers and builds sustained clinical presence to reach as many women in need as possible for only $25,000 per clinic.
As we expand our reach around the world, additional sources of funding are essential for our success. To ensure that our accomplishments of recent years are sustained and that CCC can continue to grow and save lives, financial support is critical to our mission of establishing and monitoring “See and Treat” clinics.
Even with ongoing advances such as HPV vaccination, there will continue to be a large population of women in desperate need of treatment. The goal of CCC is to create a global network of clinics along with a sisterhood of activists capable of addressing this need. Please visit our website for more information about cervical cancer and make a donation today. Women around the world will be directly impacted and spared the unnecessary burden of cervical cancer with simple and effective intervention.
CureCervicalCancer Clinic Network
