What you need to know about the HPV vaccine and cancer prevention

Nearly two decades after the first human papillomavirus vaccine became available, many eligible Americans still aren’t getting the shot — even though it provides strong protection against the leading cause of cervical cancer and a strong risk factor for anal cancer.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, while most infections are asymptomatic and disappear on their own within two years, a small number persist and can cause cancer. HPV causes almost all cases of cervical cancer, and it can also lead to penile, anal, oral, vulvar and vaginal cancer.

The HPV vaccine, given in two or three doses, can significantly reduce the risk of infection. It “is really one of the most effective vaccines we have,” said Dr. Lauri Markowitz, head of the HPV team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Viral Diseases. But adoption remains stubbornly low: A report released this month by the CDC found that in 2022, only 38.6 percent of children aged 9 to 17 were. at least received one dose of the HPV vaccine. Other new research suggests that HPV vaccination rates have stalled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

An investigation published this week outlined some of the top reasons cited by parents in the United States who do not plan to vaccinate their children against HPV, including safety concerns, a lack of knowledge about the vaccine and the belief that it is unnecessary.

“We still face an uphill battle against what I would call inappropriate messaging or incomplete messaging as the vaccine was rolled out about why this is so important,” said Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society.

How does the vaccine work?

The HPV vaccine tricks the body into thinking it has come into contact with the virus and builds up antibodies for defense. These antibodies can help clear the virus and prevent infection if someone is exposed later, which can happen oral, anal and vaginal sex.

The vaccine provides protection against the types most likely to cause cervical cancer, anal cancer and genital warts. Since the vaccine was introduced in 2006, infections with the types of HPV that cause the most HPV-related cancers and genital warts have fallen by 88 percent among teenage girls and 81 percent among young adult women. According to the CDC

One of the reasons doctors are so enthusiastic about the vaccine is that it is one of the few ways to combat HPV: condoms do not completely prevent transmission, and there is no treatment for the virus itself. Researchers believe HPV is responsible for more than 90 percent of cervical and anal cancers and a majority of vaginal, vulvar and penile cancers.

Who should get it? And how?

Children can be vaccinated from the age of nine. The CDC recommends the vaccine for all young teens ages 11 or 12 and everyone up to age 26. It is most effective before people are exposed to the virus, and “the assumption is that most people have started intercourse by age 26. said dr. Ban Mishu Allos, associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The vaccine may still provide some benefit for people over the age of 26, and is approved up to age 45. The CDC says people between the ages of 27 and 45 can get the vaccine after talking to their doctors about their risk for new HPV infections.

You can ask your GP or local doctor about this health centers for the vaccine. Most insurance plans cover it completely up to 26 years. Children and adolescents who are uninsured or underinsured can get the shots for free through the Vaccines for children program. After age 26, insurance may not fully cover the injection, which can cost hundreds of dollars per dose. Merck, which makes the HPV vaccine Gardasil 9, has a patient assistance program for eligible individuals.

Why is the vaccination rate still low?

Researchers believe much of the hesitancy stems from a key misunderstanding: “More people are considering it as a vaccine to prevent sexually transmitted infections, as opposed to a vaccine to prevent cancer,” said Kalyani Sonawane, an associate professor of public health sciences at the MUSC Hollings Cancer. Center and author of the new article on parental attitudes toward HPV vaccination.

From the research of Dr. Sonawane has also revealed that many parents are concerned about the side effects. But doctors say many people don’t experience side effects, and for those who do, problems are generally mild and can include arm pain, nausea, dizziness or, in some cases, fainting.

Doctors are urging parents to vaccinate their children before they are likely to become sexually active, which is causing some parents to hesitate, said Dr. Monica Woll Rosen, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the University of Michigan Medical School.

“You’re doing something to prevent them from getting cancer in 30 years,” she said, “and the gap might be too big for some people to really think about it.”