Image by vipubadee
Recognizing a critical need to improve national vaccination rates for the human papillomavirus (HPV), the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center has again united with each of the 69 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers in issuing a joint statement in support of recently revised recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"The HPV vaccination is one of the few vaccines we have for cancer, and numerous studies have confirmed its safety and effectiveness at preventing several potentially lethal types of the disease,” said Alan Ashworth, PhD, FRS, president of UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
According to the CDC, incidence rates of HPV-associated cancers have continued to rise, with approximately 39,000 new HPV-associated cancers now diagnosed each year in the United States. Although HPV vaccines can prevent the majority of cervical, anal, oropharyngeal (middle throat) and other genital cancers, vaccination rates remain low across the U.S., with just 41.9 percent of girls and 28.1 percent of boys completing the recommend vaccine series.
The new guidelines from the CDC recommend that children aged 11 to 12 should receive two doses of the HPV vaccine at least six months apart. Adolescents and young adults older than 15 should continue to complete the three-dose series.
In an effort to overcome these barriers, NCI-designated cancer centers have organized a continuing series of national summits to share new research, discuss best practices, and identify collective action toward improving vaccination rates.
“We have been inspired by the White House Cancer Moonshot to work together in eliminating cancer,” said Electra Paskett, PhD, Associate Director for Population Sciences at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) Cancer Control Research Program. “Improving HPV vaccination is an example of an evidence-based prevention strategy we can implement today to save thousands of lives in the future.”
Research shows there are a number of barriers to improving vaccination rates. These include a lack understanding among physicians and parents about the types of cancer that the vaccine prevents.
“We need to take advantage of every opportunity to prevent cancer when we can," said Dr. Ashworth. “I encourage anyone with concerns about the vaccine to speak with a healthcare provider to learn more.”
