Eliminating cervical cancer: A role for artificial intelligence

Cervical cancer caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), is the leading cause of mortality among women in many low-resource countries and the fourth leading cause of mortality globally. Decades of cervical cytology screening with subsequent treatment have resulted in marked declines in incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in developed regions, but resource-deprived regions lag behind because of suboptimal access to screening and treatment. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are showing promising results in early detection and prediction of cervical cancer progression with potential for future integration into screening and treatment modalities. This chapter begins with an overview of HPV infection, examines HPV pathogenesis and cervical cancer epidemiology; discusses the effectiveness of current primary and secondary prevention strategies and explores the potential role of AI technologies in improving cervical screening, diagnosis and treatment with the goal of eliminating cervical cancer.