HPV Vaccination 100% Protective Against Invasive Cervical Cancer in Young Women

A recent population-based observational study conducted in Scotland highlights the positive impact of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in young women and the benefits of early vaccination.

Published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on January 22, 2024, this study reported no cases of invasive cervical cancer were recorded in women immunized at 12 or 13 years of age, irrespective of the number of doses.

Women vaccinated between 14 to 22 years of age and given three doses of the bivalent HPV vaccine showed a significant reduction in incidence compared with all unvaccinated women (3.2/100 000 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.1 to 4.6] vs 8.4 [95% CI = 7.2 to 9.6]).

Data for women born between January 1988 and June 5, 1996, were extracted from the Scottish cervical cancer screening system in July 2020 and linked to cancer registry, immunization, and deprivation data.

According to the U.S. CDC, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. People get HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. A study in the U.S. recently discovered that within two years of a new relationship, about 40% of unvaccinated women contract HPV.

As of January 25, 2024, 140 countries have introduced an HPV vaccine into immunization programs.

There are various approved HPV vaccines and numerous vaccine candidates conducting clinical research.