Can 2009 herald a new era in preventing cervical cancers?

Abstract

Cervical cancer still remains the second leading cause of cancer related mortalities worldwide, despite significant strides made in its prevention and treatment over the last 50 years. In the United States alone, it is estimated that 3870 women died of cervical cancer in 2008 and it is anticipated that there will be 11,000 new cases in the new year. While the link between persistent infection with oncogenic Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and the incidence of cervical cancer is long known, the molecular processes involved in the multistep carcinogenic transformation is yet to be elucidated.