14th ZORA Educational Day in Slovenia

Scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently participated in the 14th ZORA Educational Day in Slovenia to advocate for improved cervical cancer prevention measures.

About ZORA

ZORA is Slovenia’s national cervical cancer screening programme, active for over 20 years, using cytology-based screening to detect and manage cervical cancer. However, recent advancements call for a transition to more effective screening methods.

Promoting HPV-Based Screening

At the event, IARC scientists emphasized the benefits of human papillomavirus (HPV)-based screening as a more accurate method for detecting early signs of cervical cancer. The event gathered approximately 400 participants, including:

• Officials from the Ministry of Health of Slovenia

• Healthcare providers

• Representatives of the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana and the National Institute of Public Health

• Members of the national immunization task force

Discussions focused on adjusting the target age group for initiating HPV-based screening and adopting advanced prevention strategies.

Key Presentations and Recommendations

The event featured insights from the Expert Working Group of the European Commission Initiative on Cervical Cancer (EC-CvC) and findings from the single-dose HPV vaccination study, presented by IARC scientist Dr. Partha Basu. Key topics included:

• Evidence supporting the transition to HPV-based screening

• Strategies for procuring HPV testing kits

• Plans for piloting an HPV-based screening programme in Slovenia

Looking Forward

The IARC delegation engaged stakeholders to ensure alignment on improving cervical cancer prevention strategies. These efforts aim to modernize Slovenia’s screening programme and reduce the burden of cervical cancer through innovative, evidence-based approaches.

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