Karin Sundström

The sexually transmitted virus human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cancer of the cervix, which is the lower third of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Today, we have access to very sensitive HPV tests that can detect pre-stages of cervical cancer in time for the woman to receive effective treatment. However, around 500 women per year in Sweden are still diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer, and for these expect a demanding treatment that involves surgery and/or cytostatics and radiation. Mortality in more advanced stages of the disease is high. My research has shown that HPV testing in archived tumor material from women with cervical cancer can serve as a strong marker for survival, even when other known markers of prognosis are taken into account. However, this knowledge has not yet reached clinical everyday life, or led to any form of treatment adaptation based on HPV status in the tumor. This is because there is still a lack of a forward-looking clinical study that tests fresh material in a real clinical setting. We now have a clear opportunity to fill this gap in evidence with a translational study that will HPV test all women with cervical cancer in Sweden. My goal is to contribute to being able to better identify women with more aggressive cervical cancer, with the aim of being able to adjust the degree of treatment based on the type of HPV the patient is infected with, and to improve survival in this disease.