Vaccine can eliminate HPV-related cancers
The day has finally come when science can prevent certain cancers. Actually, that day came 12 years ago. But we’re largely missing the opportunity in Tennessee and the Mid-South.
That’s because the rate in our state for HPV vaccination – which prevents the large majority of the human papillomavirus (HPV) cancer-causing infections – has stagnated at extremely low levels for more than a decade. And people are dying because of it.
The HPV vaccine prevents cancer, which is why my colleagues and I at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital urge everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated.
And it’s why, in keeping with our mission of "finding cures and means of prevention for childhood catastrophic diseases," St. Jude is joining all 69 other National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers to call for increased HPV vaccination and screening to eliminate HPV-related cancers.
The HPV vaccine is safe and effective, preventing most cancer-causing HPV infections. Unfortunately, HPV vaccination completion rates across Tennessee remain low.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 14 percent of boys in Tennessee completed the HPV vaccine series in 2014. And Tennessee’s girls ranked the lowest (50th) among all 50 states for series completion. At the same time, residents of Tennessee and the Mid-South have among the highest incidences of HPVrelated cancers in the U.S.
We can do better. Our call to action, along with our fellow NCI-designated cancer centers across the country, aligns with the nation’s Healthy People 2020 goals:
❚ HPV vaccination of more than 80 percent of adolescent males and females by 2020;
❚ Screening at least 93 percent of age-eligible females for cervical cancer by 2020; and
❚ Prompt follow-up and treatment of females who screen positive for highgrade cervical pre-cancerous lesions.
To achieve those goals, we encourage:
❚ Young men and women up to age 26 who were not previously vaccinated to complete the HPV vaccine series;
❚ Pediatricians and other health care providers to make clear recommendations for HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening; and
❚ The health care community to educate parents, guardians, community members, and colleagues about the goal of eliminating HPV-related cancers.
The HPV vaccine is CANCER PREVENTION, and gives us an unprecedented opportunity to save lives. But to achieve this, we must get our teens vaccinated.
Charles Roberts, M.D., Ph.D., is executive vice president at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and director of the St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is the father of four sons who have all received the HPV vaccine.