At least 20,000 women in Mongolia aged 30s and 40s are set to undergo screening for the human papillomavirus (HPV) this year, as reported by local media referencing the country’s health ministry. The ministry stresses the preventability of cervical cancer and encourages active participation from women in the specified age group for the screening program. Cervical cancer ranks as the second most prevalent cancer among Mongolian women and the fourth nationwide, according to the National Centre for Communicable Diseases.
In 2025, Mongolia, with a population of 3.5 million, documented 551 new cases of cervical cancer and 171 associated deaths, as per the Xinhua news agency. HPV, a common sexually transmitted infection, affects the skin, genital area, and throat, with nearly all sexually active individuals experiencing infection at some point, often without symptoms.
The infection can lead to genital warts or abnormal cell growth, potentially progressing to cancer. While condoms aid in HPV prevention, they do not offer complete protection due to incomplete coverage of genital skin. Cancers resulting from HPV can be averted through vaccines, which do not contain live virus or viral DNA, ensuring they cannot cause cancer or related illnesses.
The HPV vaccine primarily serves as a preventive measure against cancer development rather than a treatment for existing HPV infections or diseases induced by HPV. Cervical cancer, the sole HPV-related cancer with available screening tests, is detectable through these tests even in the absence of symptoms. Screening aims to identify precancerous cell changes early enough for intervention to prevent cancer.
Cervical cancer, predominantly caused by HPV, is the most prevalent HPV-related cancer, with other less common types affecting both men and women, including anal, vulvar, vaginal, mouth/throat, and penile cancers.
