70 years of progress in cervical cancer research

1958

We pioneered one of the earliest UK cervical screening studies 

Our first step takes us back around 70 years.  

In the 1950s, researcher Erica Wachtel analysed smear tests - samples of cells from the cervix - from 165 patients following treatment for gynaecological cancers (such as endometrial, ovarian and cervical). 

She discovered that measuring oestrogen activity helped predict if these cancers, including cervical cancer, were responding to treatment and spot the early signs of the cancer returning.  

1988

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme began 

30 years after that study, the cervical screening programme is rolled out across the UK with computerised invites that meant all eligible women were being offered screening.

At that time, cervical screening looked for abnormal changes to cervical cells and aimed to pick up changes that could develop into cervical cancer if left untreated, early.  

Within the first 25 years of the screening programme, the number of cervical cancer cases falls by a third. 

1993

Our scientists show how vaccination can protect cows from the bovine equivalent of HPV 

In the early 1990s, scientists discovered that exposure to HPV could lead to cervical cancer over time, thanks in part to research led by our former chief scientist, Professor Karen Vousden. 

Thanks to that research, we knew that if we could prevent or cure infection with HPV, it could lead to a decrease in the number of cervical cancer cases.  

A study led by scientists at our Beatson Institute, Glasgow, was the first to demonstrate an effective vaccine against a papillomavirus in cows. 

In their landmark paper, the research team concluded: “We believe that similar strategies can be used for vaccination in humans.” 

1999

We show that nearly all cervical cancers are caused by HPV 

By 1995, the International Biology Study of Cervical Cancer (IBSCC) had analysed over 1,000 cervical cancer samples across 22 countries and their results found the DNA of HPV in 93% of them.  

These findings pointed to HPV as the cause of more than 9 in 10 cases of cervical cancer. 

But four years later, even that was revealed to be an underestimate. By reanalysing some of the samples collected by the IBSCC, another group of researchers we funded found that HPV had been present in 99.7% of cases. 

The team described HPV as the one factor causing the highest percentage of a single cancer in the world. 

These remarkable findings put the gears in motion for the development of the HPV vaccination programme. 

2002

Our researchers test a prototype HPV vaccine

Almost 10 years after the vaccine for HPV in cows had been developed, scientists developed the first human equivalent.  

In an early-stage clinical trial, researchers in Manchester tested the prototype, and found that after three monthly doses, the healthy volunteers’ immune systems had made antibodies, proteins in our blood that fight infections, against HPV. 

2003-2006

We show that testing for HPV infection before looking for cell changes could improve the screening programme by preventing even more cases of cervical cancer

In two major studies, Professor Jack Cuzick and his team investigated how we could improve the cervical screening programme. 

In the first, the HART study, they found that HPV testing could be done first in cervical screening instead of looking for abnormal cells. Women that tested positive for HPV were referred for cytology, where doctors would check their cervical cells for signs of abnormality. 

If no abnormal cells were found, these women could be invited for another test 12 months later. 

A few years later, they expanded their research to include data from over 60,000 women in Europe and North America. Their results showed that HPV testing was significantly more sensitive than cytology, meaning that fewer cases of the disease are missed.  

Their results supported the use of HPV testing as the sole primary screening test, with cytology used only for women who test HPV positive. 

2008

The HPV vaccination programme is rolled out to girls ages 11-13 in the UK 

Between 2008 and 2014, over 2.3 million girls receive three doses of the HPV vaccine. 

2017

Our research shows that people who’ve had the HPV vaccine could need fewer cervical screens  

As the first cohorts of girls vaccinated against HPV began to reach the age where they would be invited for screening, researchers noted that the screening programme had not been adapted to take the vaccine into account. 

Based on real data, they created a model that simulated various screening scenarios to determine whether the appropriate screening intensity differed between vaccinated and unvaccinated women. 

They concluded that vaccinated women may be able to have just three cervical screens throughout their lifetime, compared to the current 12 offered – freeing up NHS resources while still protecting against cervical cancer. More research on how a woman’s vaccination status may be used in cervical screening is still ongoing. 

2019

The HPV programme is offered to boys aged 11-13

2021

Our researchers prove the value of the HPV vaccine

The results of a monumental study we funded, led by Professor Peter Sasieni, found that the HPV vaccine was shown to dramatically reduce cervical cancer rates by almost 90% in women in their 20s who were offered it at ages 12 to 13. 

“My immediate reaction was that we better check this – it’s too good to be true,” Sasieni said, when reflecting on the outcome of the study. “I thought that we might be reducing cases of cancer by 50%. And then to see over 80% reduction is just stunning.” 

"In the UK, the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem in our lifetime is possible with continued action to improve access to vaccination and screening for all.” 

2023

We show how changing the way we use existing drugs can cut the risk of cervical cancer returning   

Since 1999, doctors have treated cervical cancer with a course of chemoradiation (CRT), a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.  

The INTERLACE trial investigated whether giving patients a six-week course of chemotherapy before CRT could reduce the risk of their disease returning. 

Results from the trial show that after 5 years, the initial six weeks of chemotherapy cut the risk of their disease returning, or death, by 35%.  

“This is the biggest improvement in outcome in this disease in over 20 years,” said Dr Mary McCormack, the lead investigator of the trial.