Program highlights

CHAIR: Sara Arroyo Mühr, Partha Basu

This session will explore the latest advancements in applying artificial intelligence (AI) to cervical cancer screening.Four leading experts will present cutting-edge developments from international initiatives that leverage AI for image analysis, risk prediction, and automated decision support. Together, these contributions illustrate how AI may reshape screening programs and accelerate progress toward the elimination of cervical cancer.

CHAIR: Anna Giuliano, Vikrant Sahasrabuddhe

Cancer incidence among people living with HIV (PLWH) is significantly higher than HIV negative populations for cancers that are caused by infection. In the case of human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven cancers the incidence of anal cancer (AC) ranges from ~22 to 85 cases/100,000 among PLWH compared to ~1 to 2/100,000 among HIV negative individuals, the incidence of cervical cancer is ~6-fold higher among women living with HIV (WLWH) compared to their HIV negative counterparts, and the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer is ~2-fold higher. Outcomes following cancer treatment are significantly worse for these cancers among PLWH compared to HIV negative patients. As such, there is an urgent need to find efficacious methods to reduce HPV-driven cancer incidence among PLWH. The US National Cancer Institute (NCI) has been supporting multiple studies and trials designed to test efficacy of different cervical cancer screening modalities and vaccines to prevent pre-cancer lesions caused by HPV among men and women living with HIV. The design and results of these studies will be presented.

CHAIR: Philip Castle, Jiayao Lei

While cervical cancer remains a central focus of HPV vaccination efforts, an increasing body of evidence highlights the role of HPV in a broader range of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. This session will explore the evolving landscape of HPV-related disease prevention, including evidence on the vaccine's effectiveness against high-grade lesions and malignancies of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and oropharynx. The session will also address surveillance gaps and the need for international collaboration in tracking the burden of all HPV-related diseases.

CHAIR: Joel Palefsky

Anal cancer is rare in the general population, but the incidence of this disease is increasing, particularly among older individuals. In contrast, anal cancer is not rare among certain well-known high-risk groups including men who have sex with men, people living with HIV and women with a history of VIN3/vulvar cancer. While these groups have been recommended for anal cancer screening, in terms of absolute numbers, most cases of anal cancer are attributable to individuals who do not fit into these categories. This session will focus on what other groups in the general population should be recommended for screening, if any, and how screening can be performed in the general population to reduce the incidence of anal cancer.

CHAIR: Renske Steenbergen, Severien van Keer

Urine sampling offers several advantages over clinician-collected cervical and self-collected vaginal samples in the context of cervical cancer prevention. One of the key benefits is the ease of collection and the high level of acceptance among women.The number of studies supporting the use of urine for HPV DNA detection is rapidly increasing. However, research on its clinical performance and its application in primary screening populations is still in its early stages.This session will discuss current technical and clinical developments on the analysis of HPV DNA and molecular markers for the detection of cervical lesions in urine, and its promising avenue for other female gynaecological cancers. As will it discuss its potential for vaccination monitoring through HPV and its induced antibodies.

CHAIR: Daniëlle Heideman, Bea Wisman

DNA methylation biomarkers have emerged as promising tools for early detection of anogenital cancer. Changes in DNA methylation patterns are representative of the progression risk of the underlying precancerous lesion, can be accurately measured in clinician-collected and self-collected screening samples using sensitive molecular methods. This session will discuss the value of DNA methylation analysis for anogenital cancer prevention and highlights next steps towards implementation in screening programs.

CHAIR: Silvia de Sanjosé, Federica Inturrisi

Women living with HIV remain disproportionately affected by cervical cancer, facing higher rates of HPV persistence, precancer, and recurrence. As global efforts accelerate toward elimination, there is an urgent need to refine screening and management strategies tailored to this high-risk population. This session aims to review the latest evidence and explore innovations shaping cervical cancer prevention in women living with HIV. Presentations will address updated insights from the literature, the value and feasibility of triage in this population, and emerging technologies such as extended HPV genotyping and AI-assisted visual evaluation. Speakers will also examine the treatment options for women living with HIV and discuss new biological understanding of reserve cells and their role in disease recurrence. Together, these perspectives aim to inform optimized, evidence-based strategies that can improve outcomes and advance equity in cervical cancer prevention for women living with HIV globally.

CHAIR: Hans Berkhof, Joakim Dillner

An increasing number of countries have now moved on from the older policies when self-sampling was used only to increase screening coverage among non-attenders. Self-sampling is now used as a primary screening strategy for women in the general population. The switch is driven not only by saving of resources and as a convenience reform for the women, it also enables a better cervical cancer protection by increasing the population attendance of the screening programs. The advantages are particularly evident from a program perspective, and a comprehensive overview can thus be obtained by summarizing the experiences of countries that have switched to self-sampling in the general population, in this session presented by representatives from Denmark, Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Malaysia & Timor Leste.

CHAIR: Marc Brisson

Single-dose vaccination and increased vaccine supply provide the opportunity for countries to extend HPV vaccination to populations other than girls targeted by routine vaccination. In this session, we will present the current state of the clinical evidence for vaccination of boys, for younger age at vaccination (infants and young children) and for older adults. In addition, we will present the potential population-level impact of expanding HPV vaccination beyond girls and young women.

CHAIR: Sreenath Madathil

Head and Neck Cancer (HNC), including HPV-associated oropharyngeal disease and oral potentially malignant disorders, shows rising incidence, late detection, and heavy survivorship burden worldwide. Advances in AI enable risk stratification from clinical and behavioral data; image-based community and dental screening; multimodal prognostic modeling fusing imaging, pathology, and molecular (HPV, genomics) data; and adaptive treatment and follow-up support. Translation lags because datasets remain fragmented, models fail across sites, and predictive uncertainty is rarely communicated, yet crucial for triage and counseling, especially in low-resource settings. This fast-paced forum will focus on trustworthy pathways to embed AI across the HNC continuum. A moderated discussion will synthesize regulation, workflow integration, patient communication, and engaging audience input.Aligned with EUROGIN's mission to reduce the burden of HPV-related disease through prevention, screening, and translational research, the session broadens the lens to encompass the wider Head and Neck Cancer spectrum while retaining a strong focus on HPV-driven oropharyngeal intersections.

CHAIR: Gina Ogilvie

As regions around the world transition to HPV primary screening, evaluation of various aspects of HPV primary screening in women over 50 is crucial, given they are nearing the end of the cervical screening trajectory. This demographic is largely unvaccinated, and have a long history of screening with cytology. It’s crucial for jurisdictions to understand their intentions and attitudes surrounding HPV screening. In addition, long-term evaluation from both clinical trials and real world evidence can enhance our understanding of the potential nuances of HPV primary screening in this demographic. This session will include a variety of perspectives of HPV primary screening in women over the age of 50.

COORDINATOR: Joseph Monsonego
CHAIR: Efraim Siegler, Evangelos Paraskevaidis

Despite major advances in cervical cancer prevention, diagnostic uncertainty remains a central challenge in colposcopy and clinical management, particularly in complex situations where the transformation zone is not fully visible, risk stratification is imperfect, or clinical decisions carry significant consequences.
This session addresses one of the most critical questions in modern cervical care: how to translate uncertainty into informed, safe, and individualized clinical decisions, while avoiding both under- and over-treatment. We will explore the high prevalence and clinical implications of Type 3 transformation zone colposcopy, where traditional visual assessment reaches its limits, and discuss strategies for personalized management of CIN, balancing oncologic safety with reproductive and quality-of-life considerations. Particular attention will be given to decision-making during pregnancy, a context in which diagnostic confidence and clinical judgment are paramount.
The session will also highlight how biological markers are reshaping risk assessment, including the evolving role of HPV genotyping, DNA methylation assays for women with incomplete visualization of the transformation zone, and the clinical value of HPV integration testing in refining colposcopic practice.
Finally, we will look toward the future, examining how artificial intelligence can integrate clinical, colposcopic, and molecular data to support clinicians, reduce unnecessary conisations, and move cervical diagnostics toward a truly precision-based, decision-guided approach. Together, these contributions aim to transform uncertainty from a limitation into a structured, evidence-based driver of better clinical decisions.

CHAIR: Nicolas Wentzensen

Our field has seen important advances in artificial intelligence over the last decade, which have led to development of classification algorithms for cervical screening and management that are now entering clinical practice. In this session, we will describe general principles of digital imaging and AI algorithm development and show how they are applied to cervical cytology, dual stain cytology, and cervical histology. The speakers will introduce AI-based applications that are at different development stages and particularly focus on how these technologies are already or will be integrated in cervical screening and management algorithms.

CHAIR: Marc Arbyn, Clementina Cocuzza

The increasing incidence of HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer emphasizes the need for advanced laboratory methods capable of accurately establishing diagnosis and predicting clinical outcomes, thereby distinguishing patients eligible for de-escalated treatment from those requiring intensified therapy.Unfortunately, oropharyngeal carcinomas are often detected at advanced stages, due to the lack of symptoms in the early phases of disease. Screening methods and improved laboratory technologies, such as liquid biopsies, and innovative biomarkers, would allow to guide the early diagnosis, personalized management and early detection of disease recurrences, with important implications for patients’ quality of life.This session aims to highlight and stimulate discussion on the challenges and recent advances in the laboratory methods for the improved diagnosis and management of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer.

CHAIR: Amber D’Souza, Krystle Lang Kuhs

The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)–driven oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma continues to increase in many regions worldwide. While several promising biomarkers are currently under investigation, effective population-based screening remains elusive. This session will provide an overview of the current state of research, the promises and potential pitfalls, and highlight the most recent data from ongoing studies.

CHAIR: Heather Starmer

Patients with HPV associated head and neck cancer are often younger at diagnosis and enjoy more favorable cure rates. This raises concerns for long-term functional, social, and emotional repercussions of treatment. Expectations amongst this population are generally high with hopes of returning to pre-cancer function and quality of life. In this session we will highlight considerations to optimize long-term survivorship and quality of life including addressing fears of recurrent disease through use of liquid biopsies, managing depression and anxiety, identifying and managing head and neck lymphedema and dysphagia, and holistic patient centered rehabilitation.