New Canadian Cancer Statistics report suggests Canada may fall short of its 2040 goal to eliminate cervical cancer

Elimination is within reach -- but Canada must act now to address gaps in cancer screening and increase HPV vaccination uptake.

TORONTO, Nov. 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Five years after the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer, the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) is releasing a new report highlighting that Canada's progress has stalled. Published on Cervical Cancer Elimination Day of Action, the report shows that cervical cancer rates in Canada, once steadily declining, have now plateaued -- signalling that the country may be at risk of falling short of its goal to eliminate the disease by 2040.

The biennial report – Canadian Cancer Statistics 2025 – was developed by the Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee in collaboration with CCS, Statistics Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

For decades, the outlook for eliminating cervical cancer in Canada was promising, with incidence rates declining steadily between 1984 and 2005. But since 2005, that trend has shifted. Rates have become increasingly variable year to year, including a previous period of increase in trends. New data from the report has furthered our understanding of this trend, offering a clearer view that now points to a concerning plateau -- a shift that signals we're no longer moving in the right direction. This trend is likely driven in part by factors like increased transmission of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), lower vaccination and screening rates, and gaps in follow-up care.

"This shift in trend is more than a statistical change – it's a signal that we need to pay closer attention," says Dr Jennifer Gillis, Director of Surveillance at the Canadian Cancer Society. "Cervical cancer is one of the only cancers we can eliminate, and it's almost entirely preventable through HPV vaccination and effective cervical screening."

In alignment with the World Health Organization's global strategy, Canada set the ambitious goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. This commitment, led by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer through the Action Plan for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Canada, has helped drive meaningful progress.

However, given recent variability in incidence rates, it remains to be seen whether Canada can stay on track to not only achieve this milestone but also maintain it for future generations.

In 2025, an estimated 1,650 Canadians will be diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 430 lives will be lost – each one from a disease that can be prevented.

Daphny's Story
At 31, Daphny was diagnosed with stage 2 cervical cancer. Originally from Brazil, she first arrived in Canada in 2016 without a family doctor and little knowledge of how to access cancer screening.

"Cervical cancer was never on my radar," says Daphny. "I had no pain or abnormal symptoms – nothing to suggest that something was wrong."

Her last screening had been 6 years earlier in Brazil. When she finally got tested in Canada, it took 5 months to receive results – results that revealed squamous cell carcinoma on her cervix.

"If I had known that I could ask for a cervical cancer test without a family doctor, things might have been different," says Daphny. "One of my doctors told me that if I had done routine screening, they could have caught the cancer earlier when it was just precancerous cells. I could have treated it with a laser in one day instead of going through months of chemotherapy and radiation."

Now cancer-free at 33, Daphny is using her experience to advocate for better education on prevention and improved access to cervical screening.

Driving systematic change to transform the future of cervical cancer
Canada has made progress toward eliminating cervical cancer, but the path forward requires continued collaboration across provinces and territories.

"When it comes to cervical cancer, the question isn't can we eliminate it -- it's will we," says Dr Gillis. "Nothing big gets solved by one person. We need to act together to keep prevention efforts moving forward for measurable, lasting impact."

Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are due to HPV infection, making it a powerful target for prevention. HPV testing has the potential to transform the future of cervical cancer screening, because the HPV test is more sensitive, easier to interpret and can be done less frequently than the Pap test. Through HPV testing, we can better detect cervical cancer – even before it starts.

Cervical screening is evolving across Canada, as provinces and territories take steps to implement HPV testing. Some have adopted the HPV test as their primary screening method, with British Columbia even offering self-administered HPV tests that can be done at home. Other provinces and territories remain in earlier stages of making this switch. These shifts are modernizing screening and reflect growing momentum -- but progress is uneven across the country, and challenges persist. Lab capacity, workforce shortages, and access to primary care continue to affect timelines.

Sustained, coordinated action is needed to ensure all regions keep pace and that every person in Canada has access to timely, effective screening.

Vaccines are available that can protect against the most common types of HPV that cause cancer. Getting the HPV vaccine, especially at an early age, can help prevent cervical cancer. HPV vaccination uptake across Canada is suboptimal, with only Newfoundland reporting higher than 90% uptake for boys or girls, which is the target needed to accelerate cervical cancer elimination. HPV vaccination uptake varies significantly between and within jurisdictions, ranging from 16% to 93%.

To accelerate progress, CCS is calling on provincial and territorial governments to:

• Implement HPV testing as the primary screening method;
• Offer self-administered at home HPV tests to increase participation;
• Adopt a "once eligible, always eligible" HPV vaccination policy to remove cost barriers for those who missed school-based programs; and
• Monitor how effective programs are at reaching those in communities that are underserved.

Eliminating cervical cancer is within reach, but we need to act now and work together as a society to make it happen. Help us send a powerful message to government leaders. Visit cancer.ca/stopcervicalcancer to send a letter to your elected official, demanding urgent action to eliminate cervical cancer.

Other key findings in the full report 

• Cancer continues to impact a larger number of people in Canada each year. This trend is largely driven by the growing and aging population.
• It is estimated that 42% of people in Canada will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.
• 254,800 new cases of cancer are expected to be diagnosed in Canada in 2025. The number of cases expected in males (131,800) is higher than in females (122,900).
• Together, the four most commonly diagnosed cancers (lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancers) are expected to account for about 48% of all cancers diagnosed in 2025.
• It is estimated that 22% of people in Canada will die from cancer. The lifetime probability of dying from cancer is higher for males (23%) than females (21%).
• An estimated 87,400 people in Canada are expected to die from cancer in 2025. About 22% of these deaths are expected to be caused by lung cancer.

To learn more about cancer in Canada, visit cancer.ca/statistics and view the full report. For more information about cervical cancer, consult the cervical cancer backgrounder. Explore more cancer statistics for 20+ cancer types in the new interactive Canadian Cancer Statistics Dashboard.

Quotes
"To transform the future of cancer care and improve outcomes for all people facing the disease, it's vital for health experts to have access to accurate information that provides a clear and up-to-date picture of the burden of cancer in Canada. With the right data, we can assess the impact of prevention, early detection and treatment, and measure how far we've come, as well as identify areas for improvement--this is particularly relevant with cervical cancer. Statistics Canada is proud to contribute to the Canadian Cancer Statistics report, which analyzes high-quality health data from our Canadian Cancer Registry to provide a comprehensive look at cancer trends nationwide. Critical insights from the report will enable health professionals, policy makers and researchers to better address the needs of people affected by the disease."

• Ron Gravel, Director General, Health Statistics and Demography Branch, Statistics Canada

This extensive report is currently able to report findings by sex assigned at birth based on binary categories (male/female) and it is beyond its scope to report findings by other important information such as gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and other identifiers. As a result, the report does not fully reflect the experiences of gender-diverse, racialized and other equity-deserving populations. Addressing these data gaps is essential to advancing equity in cancer research and care.

About this report
Canadian Cancer Statistics is developed by the Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Cancer incidence and mortality data are from the Canadian Cancer Registry and the Canadian Vital Statistics Death databases, respectively, which are maintained at Statistics Canada. The data originate from the provincial and territorial cancer registries and vital statistics registrars. Statistics Canada completed most of the analyses related to this report with contribution from the Public Health Agency of Canada. French translation of this report was completed by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The Canadian Cancer Society coordinates the production and dissemination of this publication and supports it with charitable funds. For more than 35 years, this publication has been providing information that helps decide what support and services are needed and what research should be done. It also helps assess the impact of prevention, early detection and treatment. For more information about Canadian Cancer Statistics, visit cancer.ca/statistics.

About the Canadian Cancer Society
The Canadian Cancer Society works tirelessly to save and improve lives. We raise funds to fuel the brightest minds in cancer research. We provide a compassionate support system for all those affected by cancer, across Canada and for all types of cancer. Together with patients, supporters, donors and volunteers, we work to create a healthier future for everyone. Because to take on cancer, it takes all of us. It takes a society. 

Help us make a difference. Call 1-888-939-3333 or visit cancer.ca today. 

SOURCE Canadian Cancer Society (National Office)

For media inquiries, please contact: Victoria Young, Communications Coordinator, 416-572-4252, [email protected]