Cancer treatment and prevention progress in Norway

Norway continues to report advancements in cancer prevention and treatment methodologies. Progress in cervical cancer prevention remains steady, with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health noting that the HPV vaccine has made severe cell changes nearly non-existent among vaccinated young women, supporting the goal of eliminating the disease by 2038.

In surgical care, there has been a significant increase in breast-conserving surgery. Recent data shows that 88.5 percent of eligible patients now undergo the procedure, up from 75 percent in 2014. Several regional health authorities, including Akershus University Hospital and Helse Nord-Trøndelag, are currently exceeding the national target of 90 percent.

Research into cancer risk factors and screening is also evolving. A study from NTNU suggests that body size before puberty may influence later breast cancer risk, noting that girls with larger body sizes before puberty may face a lower risk, though biological reasons are currently unclear. Regarding colorectal cancer, while a Swedish study involving nearly 380,000 participants suggests regular stool screening can reduce mortality risks by 43 percent, participation rates in Norwegian screening programs currently remain around 60 percent for women and just under 50 percent for men.