Lehre

Cervical Cancer Prevention

Milestones and Finish Lines – Inaugural Lecture by Dr. Friederike Hoellen on 9 July (5 p.m., Lecture Hall AM 3)

Since the introduction of cervical cancer screening with annual Pap smears in 1971, the occurrence of cervical cancer in Germany has dropped by more than 75 percent – a milestone in the successful fight against cervical cancer. The significance of this preventative method becomes even clearer when seen in an international context. Levels of cervical cancer in regions with poor healthcare remain consistently high, with cervical cancer still the third most common type of cancer affecting women.

Another milestone followed with the awarding of the Nobel Prize to Harald zur Hausen in 2008 for the discovery of the human papillomavirus as a key risk factor in the occurrence of cervical cancer: the path was laid for pursuing the goal of a primary prevention, the first “cancer vaccination”. The challenge for the future of cervical cancer prevention is to put social responsibility for women’s health in a global context.

With her inaugural lecture, Dr. med. Friederike Sophie Hoellen will conclude her post-doc work in the field of gynaecology and obstetrics at the University of Lübeck.

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