How practically feasible is tailored screening for cervical cancer based on human papillomavirus vaccination status?: the role of data linkage and registers.

There is substantial evidence examining effectiveness of human papillomavirus vaccines in populations using registry linkages. These studies initially mapped early outcomes, but in recent years have focused on harder endpoints, confirming that the vaccines have the anticipated effect against infection, lesions, and ultimately invasive cervical cancer. It is generally accepted that when vaccinated cohorts enter screening programs, adjustments to screening strategies are needed to maintain the balance of benefits and harms and achieve optimal resource use. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the practical considerations for implementing tailored screening in the context of increasingly vaccinated populations, with particular emphasis on data sources and their application in routine practice. We present real-world examples of linking vaccination and screening registries to enable screening strategies informed by individual human papillomavirus vaccination status. We also outline the common challenges encountered when establishing such linkages and offer practical suggestions for overcoming them.