Cervical Cancers Caused by HPV are Unfortunate

A recent study reported that previously declining cervical cancer incidence has plateaued. And a significant reduction in cervical cancer screening has also been identified, particularly among women aged 21 to 29.

For this age group, cervical cancer incidence has increased by about 2.5% per year since 2012.

Cervical cancer is mainly related to human papillomavirus (HPV), and innovative vaccine screening and access have made this cancer preventable.

Yet, it is estimated that over 14,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year, and more than 4,000 deaths will be attributed to cervical cancer.

Published on November 21, 2022, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, this study by researchers with MUSC Hollings Cancer Center in South Carolina stated, "In the era of the overall decline in cancer incidence, cancers caused by HPV are unfortunately rising."

"For the last two years, we have been trying to understand why the continuous decline in cervical cancer stopped in 2012 and why we have reached a critical turning point," commented Ashish Deshmukh, Ph.D., in a press release.

"Therefore, it is critically important to determine if the increase in cervical cancer incidence in young women is due to the decrease in screening rates or whether it is due to the introduction of more effective HPV testing in recent years."

Deshmukh said that the U.S. urgently needs national campaigns and innovative ways to improve cervical cancer screening uptake and vaccination adherence among women.

In the U.S., HPV vaccination for adolescents has been recommended for women since 2006 and men since 2011.

On October 1, 2022, a peer-reviewed study concluded that one dose of an HPV vaccine in young women might provide sufficient protection against persistent HPV infection. 

HPV vaccines are generally available at most clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.

Additional HPV vaccination information is posted at PrecisionVaccinations.com/HPV.

Note: Dr. Sonawane reported receiving personal fees from Value Analytics Labs outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.