Young women in the U.S. today are far less likely to have cervical precancer cells than women who grew up before the introduction of a vaccine against HPV, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown.
Infections with this common virus can cause cell changes that may ultimately lead to cervical cancer. In fact, almost all cases of the potentially deadly disease can be traced to HPV.
The U.S. has recommended shots against the virus to preteen girls since 2006 to prevent cervical cancer — and this advice seems to be paying off. CDC researchers found a drop of about 80% in precancerous cell cases among women aged 20 to 24 who had cervical screenings between 2008 and 2022.
The research didn’t compare vaccination status with cervical screening results, so it cannot prove a causal link. But the fact these women were among those most likely to have received the shots supports the role of the vaccine in the results, according to the research team.
“These data are consistent with considerable impact of HPV vaccination for preventing cervical precancers among women in the age groups most likely to have been vaccinated,” the report authors wrote.
Cancer researchers who weren’t involved in the study have also praised the results, with Jane Montealegre of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston attributing the fall in precancerous cell cases to increasing use of HPV shots.
“This should reassure parents that they’re doing the right thing in getting their children vaccinated against HPV,” she told the Associated Press.
What Is HPV?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus passed through sexual activity that affects the skin. It’s extremely common, with one study estimating 40% of U.S. adults aged 18 to 59 had some form of HPV in 2018. Indeed, most people will catch the virus at some point during their life, according to the U.K.’s National Health Service.
There are over 100 different types of HPV, many of which cause zero symptoms and ultimately clear up on their own. Because of this, plenty of adults won’t even realize they’ve had an HPV infection.
But some types of HPV cause health problems from genital warts to certain cancers in both women and men. Almost all cases (99%) of cervical cancer are thought to be caused by infection with one of these “high risk” HPV strains. The vast majority of women who experience HPV-related changes to their cervical cells, however, never go on to develop the disease.
What Is The HPV Vaccine?
Sold by Merck & Co. under the name “Gardasil,” HPV vaccines train the body’s immune system to recognize and better attack several “high risk” strains of the virus. Clinical studies show it is safe and effective, with most people experiencing mild side effects, if any.
The U.S. recommends the shots to all kids aged 11 or 12. Catch-up doses are advised for anyone aged up to 26 who missed one of more of their shots.
Does The HPV Vaccine Work?
Since it was first approved in the mid-2000s, scientist shave been studying the real-world impact of the HPV vaccine. Countries with age-related cervical screening programs like the U.K. have demonstrated massive drops in cases of both precancerous cells and cervical cancer itself.
In 2023, researchers in England found a “dramatic decline” in high risk HPV infections in young women likely to have been vaccinated against the virus. An earlier study estimated it had prevented around 500 cases of cervical cancer in the country by 2019 and “almost eliminated” the disease among women born since 1995.
The HPV vaccine is a crucial prong in the World Health Organization’s goal to eliminate cervical cancer globally within the next century. Some countries who are already delivering vaccinations and screenings at scale think they’ll stamp the disease out even sooner, with England aiming to “eradicate” it by 2040.
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