Story at a glance
- Rates of cervical cancer were 87 percent lower among women in their 20s who received the vaccination between the ages of 12 and 13 when compared with unvaccinated women.
- The study estimates there were 450 fewer cases of cervical cancer and 17,200 fewer cases of pre-cancers than expected in the vaccinated population by mid-2019.
- HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection.
New research from the United Kingdom shows human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines significantly slashed rates of cervical cancer among women.
The study published Wednesday in the journal The Lancet found rates of cervical cancer were 87 percent lower among women in their 20s who received the vaccination between the ages of 12 and 13 when compared with unvaccinated women.
Rates of cervical cancer were reduced by 62 percent in women who received the jab between the ages of 14 and 16, and 34 percent in those who got the shot between the ages of 16 and 18.
Researchers from King’s College London and the British government analyzed cancers diagnosed in England in women aged 20 to 64 between 2006, two years before the country’s vaccination program started, and 2019.
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Public health officials in England began recommending the Cervarix vaccine in 2008 to protect against the two types of HPV responsible for cervical cancer. Since September 2012, the vaccine Gardasil has been used instead.
The study estimates there were 450 fewer cases of cervical cancer and 17,200 fewer cases of pre-cancers than expected in the vaccinated population by mid-2019.
“We’ve known for many years that HPV vaccination is very effective in preventing particular strains of the virus, but to see the real-life impact of the vaccine has been truly rewarding,” Peter Sasieni, lead author of the study, said in a statement.
“Assuming most people continue to get the HPV vaccine and go for screening, cervical cancer will become a rare disease. This year we have already seen the power of vaccines in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. These data show that vaccination works in preventing some cancers,” Sasieni said.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, with about 42 million Americans currently infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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