Deliver and disseminate the research outcomes of the Compass Trial, C4 and other policy relevant research

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Deliver and disseminate the research outcomes of the Compass Trial, C4 and other policy relevant research

C4 NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Cervical Cancer Control overview

brings together Australia’s leaders in cervical cancer control in both HPV vaccination and cervical screening, with researchers from The University of Sydney, the , Kirby Institute at Sydney, Australian National University and the University of Melbourne. The prior work of investigators has underpinned Australia’s major innovations in public health in terms of the successful delivery of vaccination and the implementation of an -based . The has called for global action towards the elimination of cervical cancer. brings together the leaders in vaccination and cervical screening whose work has been instrumental in positioning Australia at the forefront of cervical cancer control. In March 2025, released their annual report highlighting Australia’s progress toward achieving cervical cancer elimination.

Compass trial update

The Compass trial, a partnership between the and The University of Sydney, is a randomised controlled trial which aims to compare two and a half year year cytology screening (Pap smear) with the five-yearly screening. The Compass trial also aims to improve and refine the and to ensure healthy women don’t undergo unnecessary procedures. Over 76,000 Australian women participated in this trial, the last of whom will be exiting the trial by the end of 2026. In 2025 a sub-study of the trial, Compass-PLUS, examined the impact of primary screening on anxiety and screening behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found the following:

little is known on factors affecting screening intention/attendance during COVID;
intention-to-screen was related to family cancer history and non-urban living;
age, employment status, and screening history influenced cervical screening;
screening de-prioritisation and recent anxiety was linked to lower attendance; and
cervical screening attendance differed between younger and older women.

The findings provided valuable insights into screening behaviours during the pandemic. Lower on-time screening attendance was associated with de-prioritisation of cervical screening. It is important that women who miss their screens are identified and targeted efforts are made by GP practices so catch-up screens can be performed. This should include offering the option of self-collection which was made universally available by the Australian Government on 1st July 2022. The findings also highlight the need to plan for future emergencies, to enable the continuity of essential public health services including cancer screening. These plans should ensure equitable access to cancer screening and public communications on the importance of continuing screening to maintain early detection and treatment of cancer.

Reference: Preventative Medicine Reports Vol 45, Sept 2024.

ECC2024Eliminating Cervical Cancer 2024 Conference: A landmark gathering for cervical cancer elimination

The eighth Eliminating Cervical Cancer Conference was hosted by from 27–29 November 2024 at the Sofitel Melbourne, and brought together global leaders in cervical cancer prevention. This hybrid event allowed for many attendees from low to middle income countries to participate virtually. The theme of the conference was ‘Achieving equity in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region’. Co-chaired by Professor Marion Saville AM and Professor Karen Canfell AC, and opened by the Ambassador for Global Health, Dr Lucas de Toca and the Hon Pat Conroy MP, welcomed 236 in-person and 76 virtual attendees. The consensus from the domestic and international presenters was that the equitable elimination of cervical cancer is a collaborative effort, and we must not leave anyone behind. delivered a high-impact program at a cost comparable to previous years, despite a 50% increase in duration. Survey feedback was overwhelmingly positive: 99% of respondents rated the event as very good or excellent, with HPV testing and regional screening emerging as key content highlights. The conference strengthened our profile, provided valuable staff development, and fostered international collaboration. Attendees praised the professionalism, inclusivity, and seamless technical support, with 92% saying they would recommend the event to others. reaffirmed the ’s leadership in the global movement to eliminate cervical cancer and set a new benchmark for future conferences.

Contributions to research & publications on self-collection

Pathology staff authored a number of new self-collection articles which were published in the last financial year. To access these articles, see the following links: Microbiology Spectrum, Journal of Medical Virology, Cancer Medicine, JAMA Network Open, Journal of Virological Methods, Australian Journal of General Practice, BMC Medical, BMJ Sex Reprod Health, BMJ Global Health, Lancet Public Health Prof Marion Saville AM also co-authored an article in The Conversation, which explains the changes to the and what a patient can expect at their next appointment.

Feature article: Our scientific manuscript “Exponential uptake of HPV self-collected cervical screening testing 2 years since universal availability in Victoria, Australia” was led by the Population Health team with strong collaboration from Victorian Cancer Screening Framework partners and was published by the BMC Medicine Collection on . This work represents the first scientific literature globally to be published on the population uptake of self-collection following the introduction of universal availability in a country aiming to actively achieve cervical cancer elimination.

SHE-CANSelf-collected HPV Evaluation for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer

Participant enrolment and sample collection for the project commenced on March 21, 2025. The protocol manuscript was submitted (Oommen et al), and staff continue to be active as investigators in this research. The trial is supported by canSCREEN^® with staff trained to collect data in the study sites, in the Indian provinces of Tamil Nadu and Mizoram, with more than 600 women screened to date. canSCREEN^® was translated into Tamil for this study and configured to take into account the scarce address and often missing personal details of patients available in some of these remote locations.

HepC Cascade of Care manuscript

The Population Health team co-authored the Hep C cascade of care manuscript published in Eurosurveillance in July 2024. Australia’s hepatitis C surveillance data from 2015–2022 shows improved diagnosis and treatment uptake following the introduction of direct-acting antivirals. However, significant gaps remain in reaching priority populations, including people who inject drugs and those in custodial settings. The findings highlighted the need for targeted strategies to achieve hepatitis C elimination goals, especially in underserved communities.

2025 Annual Report