for 9 hoursOncoDaily Cervical Cancer Summit 2026 has become a truly global gathering place of expertise, experience and vision. With the theme of “How to deal with cervical cancer in 2026”, 26 speakers from 5 continents We shared how science and policy, innovation and access are coming together to evolve cervical cancer care across diverse health systems.
The summit, held on January 24 during Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, provided a comprehensive, practice-oriented approach across prevention, diagnosis, treatment and eradication strategies, firmly aligned with the global 90-70-90 goals.
Opening Remarks: Setting the Global Agenda
Zainab Shinkafi Bagdu He opened the summit with a powerful speech based on cancer equity and global responsibility. as the next president International Union for Cancer ControlHe emphasized the urgent need to strengthen health systems, expand access to care and align national strategies with global efforts to eradicate cervical cancer.
gave a keynote speech, Karen Campfel presented compelling evidence of progress in global cervical cancer eradication. Drawing on population-based data and policy experience, she explored how evidence-based screening and vaccination programs can directly translate into lives saved, while addressing challenges that still impede universal implementation.
Prevention and Screening: What Really Helps
Nermen Mostafa Reflecting on her leadership role in the Egyptian President’s Cancer Early Detection Initiative, she shared practical insights on HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention. Her session emphasized translating national strategies into measurable population impacts.
From Central Asia, Diriyara Kaidalova We discussed the role of organized screening programs in Kazakhstan and provided a regional perspective on prevention, early detection, and the evolving cancer control landscape.
Diagnosis and image processing: fundamental accuracy
Hovhannes Vardevanyan investigated the important role of image processing in cervical cancer treatment. His session focused on current diagnostic practices and future directions, emphasizing how high-quality imaging impacts staging, treatment planning, and multidisciplinary decision-making.
Local treatment strategies: surgery and radiotherapy
Olena Postupalenko focused on the evolving role of surgery in early cervical cancer, focusing on modern surgical decision-making and minimally invasive approaches in modern treatment paradigms.
The following reports were made regarding advances in radiation oncology. Marija Zivković Radojevicdiscussed the latest radiotherapy techniques and their role in optimizing tumor control while minimizing treatment-related toxicities.
Systemic therapy and immunotherapy
Giuseppe Caruso examines the role of systemic therapy in early-stage cervical cancer, addressing timing, patient selection, and integration with local therapy.
The following studies have explored the expanding role of immunotherapy: Mansoor Raza Mirzadiscussed immune-based strategies in localized cervical cancer and how new data are reshaping treatment algorithms.
Guidelines and new innovations
On behalf of China, Yang Li We presented the latest national guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer and provided insight into standardized treatment pathways at the national level.
Innovations in treatment took center stage when Brian Slomowitzreviewed new therapeutic approaches and emerging agents that expand the treatment landscape for cervical cancer.
Global Voices: Country Perspectives
The summit featured a Global Voices segment that aimed to go beyond guidelines and clinical trials and into the realities of everyday care. Throughout the session, speakers explained how cervical cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are shaped by factors such as screening infrastructure, pathology diagnostic capacity, access to radiotherapy and systemic therapy, workforce availability, referral pathways, and the practical implications of national policy.
Rather than presenting a single ‘best model’, the discussion emphasized how countries are adapting evidence-based standards to local systems, and that progress often depends on implementation details: how patients enter care, how quickly they can be staged and treated, and whether services are geographically and financially accessible.
From Georgia, maca abraze reviewed the current state of cervical cancer treatment, highlighting where progress has been made and where bottlenecks remain along the continuum from prevention and early detection to timely treatment. Her perspective highlighted that even when clinical knowledge is widely shared, system configuration, referral efficiency, and service availability can directly impact outcomes.
On behalf of Brazil, Helena Kremer We discussed both advances and ongoing challenges in a large and diverse healthcare environment. Her brief reflected the complexities of delivering consistent cervical cancer services across regions where screening rates, diagnosis turnaround times, and access to specialized treatment can vary widely. The discussion emphasized that national improvements often depend on increased collaboration between primary care, diagnostic, and oncology centers.
How to treat cervical cancer in 2026: OncoDaily Summit
Lectured on HPV and cervical cancer prevention in Southeastern Europe. Amir Druzic Researchers from the Oncology Clinic of the Sarajevo University Clinical Center and vice-chair of the European Cancer Agency’s HPV and Hep B Action Network examined the region’s progress, persistent gaps and priorities for 2026.
His presentation highlighted the heterogeneity of HPV vaccination, variations in organized screening programs, and differences in policy implementation across southeastern European countries. He emphasized the importance of a coordinated regional strategy, and how political commitment, public trust and cross-sectoral cooperation are essential to strengthen prevention efforts and align national programs with European and global elimination goals.
The people who worked on innovation in treatment were: Brian SlomowitzDirector of Gynecologic Oncology at Mount Sinai Medical Center and a leading expert in gynecologic cancer research. In a session on new therapeutic approaches for cervical cancer, he reviewed new treatment options that expand treatment options, including new systemic strategies and evolving combinations with local therapies.
His discussion focused on how innovation is reshaping clinical decision-making, while also emphasizing the need to carefully integrate new drugs into existing treatment pathways to ensure safety, efficacy, and equitable access.
The focus was on the challenges of implementing knowledge and innovation into real-world impact. Lacey HubbardCEO of Electa Foundation. In his speech on acting quickly to eliminate cervical cancer, he stressed the urgency of accelerating action across prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Her presentation emphasized the importance of strengthening health system capacity, expanding access to radiotherapy and essential technologies, and supporting sustainable solutions in low- and middle-income settings. She emphasized that eradicating cervical cancer requires not only scientific advances, but also determined leadership, investment and partnerships that prioritize access and equity.
From Algeria, Imene Haji They shared country-level perspectives that focused on real-world constraints and opportunities, such as how patients move through the system, which services are most available, and which steps in the pathway are susceptible to delays. Her remarks reinforced a recurring theme throughout Global Voices. Progress is possible, but it will require sustained alignment between capacity, policy, and public health strategies.
Salma Najemspoke from Morocco and described the situation in the country, focusing on both public health priorities and the realities of clinical services. Her contribution highlighted how prevention and early detection efforts must be matched with reliable diagnostic and treatment capabilities, and that improvements in one part of the pathway will only have an impact if the entire system from screening to treatment is connected and functioning.
From Kosovo, Brunilda Plovka Hashu described cervical cancer care through the lens of small health systems, where access and resource allocation can shape national practice patterns. Her brief highlighted the importance of standardization, workforce support, and sustainable service development, particularly in areas such as radiotherapy access, multidisciplinary collaboration, and continuity of care.
On behalf of Ukraine Oksana Machewska It provided insight into delivering cervical cancer services under difficult circumstances, highlighting the resilience of clinical teams and the need for reliable pathways despite disruption. Her contributions drew attention to the importance of preserving critical oncology services, protecting access to diagnosis and treatment, and strengthening collaboration to protect patients from inevitable delays.
From Nigeria, Ishak Rawal addressed the reality of cervical cancer in a setting where late onset and access gaps can significantly impact outcomes. His perspective highlighted how public awareness, screening availability, diagnostic capacity, and affordability intersect, and why scalable system-level solutions are needed to reduce preventable mortality. This discussion emphasized that the goal of eradication requires not only clinical advances but also widespread access to basic prevention and timely treatment.
Speaking from Türkiye, Enes Elul We discussed the national situation, focusing on how organized approaches and health system planning impact cervical cancer control. His brief reflected on how structured screening strategies, service allocation, and national implementation frameworks impact consistency of care and help translate policy into measurable population outcomes.
To conclude our regional updates, Mariam Mayan We presented the Armenian perspective and outlined the realities of current practice and priorities across care pathways. Her contribution highlighted how local capacity, access to specialized services, and system coordination define what is achievable in everyday care, and how targeted improvements can strengthen the national response.
Closing dialogue: Synthesizing evidence and local realities
Summit Closing Committee was held Amol Akade, Emad Shash, Abeid Asman Omar, Martin Harutyunyan It was an interdisciplinary discussion that connected the clinical evidence presented throughout the day with the reality on the ground.
The panel discussed how care pathways can be strengthened through earlier detection, better referral coordination, multidisciplinary decision-making, and investments in workforce and infrastructure. Their dialogue also returned to the eradication agenda, emphasizing that progress depends not only on innovation but also on implementation to make prevention and treatment scalable, sustainable, and equitable across the environment.
Written by Nare Hovhannisyan, MD