HPV vaccine
Comedian Rhod Gilbert was diagnosed with stage four head and neck cancer caused by contracting the HPV virus.
Many women have a “dangerous” misunderstanding about HPV, which is responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer, according to a recent study.
12-13-year old boys in the UK will be given the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for the first time this September in a bid to wipe out cervical cancer. HPV is a common cause of several cancers. It is believed the vaccine, which until now has only been given to girls, will mean thousands of cases of other cancers will also be prevented.
The HPV vaccine could prevent more than 100,000 cancers in the next 50 years, estimates the University of Warwick.
Vaccinations for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) have been so successful at reducing new infections of the disease, researchers are hopeful that there will be a corresponding dramatic drop in cervical cancer cases in high-income countries. “HPV is found in almost 100% of cervical cancer cases,” said Mélanie Drolet, who conducted a study into rates of cancer in countries which have implemented vaccination programmes.
But women should still be attending their smear tests.
Cases of HPV-related head and neck cancers are rising.
When I was diagnosed in 2018, I didn’t know there was a vaccine and certainly didn’t know that HPV causes cervical cancer
The vaccine "should greatly reduce the incidence of cervical cancer".
Nurses say they know and understand your fears.