HPV vaccines have proven highly effective. (Image credit: MicroStockHub via Getty Images)
A new long-term study has found that human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines can significantly reduce the rate of infections that cause cervical cancer, even in people who have not been vaccinated.
Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by high-risk HPV viruses, which can cause changes in cells that transform them into cancerous cells. Two high-risk HPV types are the most common causes of cervical cancer. After the introduction of HPV vaccines in the United States, vaccination reduced the number of people testing positive for these cervical cancer-causing viruses by a whopping 98.4% among vaccinated adolescents and young women in Cincinnati, who were the subjects of a new study. Meanwhile, among unvaccinated people of the same age, the infection rate dropped by 71.6% over the same period.
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HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide. This includes both low- and high-risk strains. Although the virus is primarily known for causing cervical cancer, exposure to high-risk HPV can also lead to other cancers in both sexes, according to the researchers' statement. These include cancers of the anus, head, and neck.
Scientists have known for years that HPV vaccines are highly effective, significantly reducing the incidence of cervical precancerous lesions in young women in the United States and preventing death from cervical cancer. However, a new 17-year study published Monday (September 29) in JAMA Pediatrics found that the vaccines also reduced the risk of high-risk cervical infections in adolescent girls and young women at increased risk of HPV infection, even if they themselves had not been vaccinated.
Almost all sexually active people become infected with HPV at some point in their lives. The infection is usually asymptomatic and typically resolves on its own within two years. However, in some cases, it can persist and eventually lead to cancer.
According to a 2020 study published in The Lancet Global Health, 690,000 cases of HPV-related cancer were reported worldwide in 2018, including 620,000 in women and 70,000 in men. Approximately 80% of these cases were cervical cancer. Thus, although most people do not develop cancer due to HPV infection, the prevalence of the virus makes it a significant public health concern.
In a new study, researchers analyzed data from six Cincinnati observational studies collected from 2006 (the year before the vaccine was released) to 2023. The study included 2,335 adolescent girls and young women aged 13 to 26. The study focused on participants with an increased risk of HPV infection due to multiple sexual partners or a history of sexually transmitted infections.
Since 2006, numerous HPV vaccines have been introduced, and this study assessed the effectiveness of three versions: a 2-valent version that protects against HPV 16 and HPV 18, the HPV types responsible for more than 70% of cervical cancers; a 4-valent version that also covers HPV 6 and HPV 11; and a 9-valent version that protects against five more types.
HPV viruses can cause cervical cancer and other cancers.
Over the study period, the incidence of HPV infections decreased as vaccines became available and the proportion of participants vaccinated increased from 0% to 82%. The incidence of infection with the bivalent vaccine decreased by 98.4% among vaccinated individuals, while the incidence of infection with the remaining HPV types protected by the quadrivalent and nonavalent vaccines decreased by 94.2% and 75.7%, respectively.
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As the study's lead author, Dr. Jessica Kahn, a professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, told Live Science, the 9-valent vaccine demonstrated similar protection to the 2- and 4-valent vaccines in clinical trials. However, in this real-world scenario, the reduction in the number of viruses targeted by the 9-valent vaccine was lower because it was licensed later, meaning fewer participants had received at least one dose of the vaccine by the time the study was conducted.
Among unvaccinated participants, the incidence of HPV 16 and HPV 18 infection decreased by 71.6% in the study population, while the incidence of infection with the remaining two strains protected by the quadrivalent vaccine decreased by 75.8%, indicating a high degree of herd immunity. The researchers did not have sufficient data to effectively analyze all strains protected by the new nine-valent vaccine in unvaccinated individuals.
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The study's findings are good news for regions with high vaccination rates, but cervical cancer rates are higher in poor countries than in the United States. According to the latest available data from the World Health Organization for 2024, only 31% of adolescent girls and 8% of adolescent boys aged 9 to 14 years have received one dose of the HPV vaccine globally. Increasing vaccination coverage worldwide could have significant implications.
“By expanding the use of this highly safe and effective vaccine, and providing access to screening and treatment, we can achieve one of the greatest public health victories of our time: eliminating cervical cancer worldwide,” Kahn said.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not contain medical advice.
TOPICS vaccine women
Patrick Pester, Social Link Navigator, Popular News Writer
Patrick Pester is a popular news writer for Live Science. His work has appeared on other science websites, such as BBC Science Focus and Scientific American. Patrick transitioned to journalism after working for zoos and wildlife conservation organizations early in his career. He received a Master's Excellence Scholarship to Cardiff University, where he earned a Master's in International Journalism. He also earned a second Master's in Biodiversity, Evolution, and Conservation in Action from Middlesex University in London. When not reporting, Patrick investigates the sale of human remains.
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