An estimated 1,550 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in Canada in 2023. This cancer emerges when tumours form in the cells of the cervix and can normally be treated if found early.
Cervical cancer can normally be prevented through vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus that affects men and women alike and is responsible for almost all cervical cancers. If a woman is infected with HPV, regular screenings are needed to help prevention and early detection of cervical cancer. If found early, cervical cancers are generally curable, but few treatment options exist for women with advanced or metastatic disease.
Today, a lack of treatment options for women with advanced cervical cancer makes this disease a pressing health issue in Canada.
Our Research Strategy
Given these challenges, the Terry Fox Research Institute has embarked on a multi-pronged strategy to fund the best cervical cancer scientific teams and programs in the country.
To allocate its resources, the Institute has international experts evaluate the excellence and the potential for impact of all its research projects. This approach distinguishes our research investment strategy from all others in Canada and allows donors to be confident that their investment is supporting the top 5% of Canadian researchers and their science.
*Our scientific discovery projects are interdisciplinary by design and often focus on more than one cancer type. The figures listed above are an estimate and should not be taken as exact figures.