The study with the HPV vaccine brings historic results

Scotland has not detected any cases of cervical cancer in vaccinated women

A landmark study in Scotland shows the real impact of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines: the country detected no cases of cervical cancer in women born between 1988 and 1996 who were fully vaccinated against HPV between the ages of between 12 and 13 years.

Many previous studies have shown that HPV vaccines are extremely effective in preventing cervical cancer. However, the study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is the first to track a national cohort of women over such a long period of time and find no cases of cervical cancer.

The result demonstrates that the vaccine is extremely effective, as commented by Kathleen Schmeler, professor of gynecological oncology at the University of Texas in the USA, not involved in the research. “Obviously it is early. We are only starting to see the first data on the impact of the vaccine because a lot of time passes from the application of the vaccine to the effects”, states the expert in an interview with the site STATISTICS.

The findings highlight the importance of working to increase acceptance of the HPV vaccine. Scotland introduced routine immunization in schools in 2008, and nearly 90% of fourth-grade high school students (equivalent to 10th grade in the United States) in the 2022-2023 academic year received at least one dose of the vaccine. In the United States, where HPV vaccines are not administered in schools, uptake among adolescents ages 13 to 17 is just over 60%. In Brazil, vaccination coverage is less than 80% for girls and 60% for boys.

The study also highlights the importance of vaccination timing: Girls who did not develop cancer were vaccinated before becoming sexually active, as experts recommend.

Women born between 1988 and 1996

The authors of the Scottish study monitored data from all women born between 1988 and 1996 who were eligible for cancer screening, approximately 450,000 women. Of that group, 40,000 were vaccinated between ages 12 and 13, and 124,000 received vaccines at age 14 or older. The remaining women, almost 300,000, had not been vaccinated.

No cases of cervical cancer were found among women vaccinated before age 14, even if they received only one or two doses of the vaccine rather than the full three-dose protocol.

Women who received the three-dose protocol between the ages of 14 and 22 also benefited significantly. Although some cases of cervical cancer were recorded in this group, the incidence (3.2 cases per 100,000 women) was two and a half times lower than that of unvaccinated women (8.4 cases per 100,000 women).

“I was very surprised that there were no cases” of cancer in the group who received vaccines before the age of 14, said Tim Palmer, former clinical lead for cervical screening in Scotland and consultant on HPV immunization at Public Health Scotland, who was one of the lead authors of the study. “In that age group, I would expect 15 to 17 year olds a year in Scotland – and we haven’t had any.”

The new vaccines provide greater protection

The types of vaccines administered to the cohorts tracked in the study have changed as new vaccines have become available, covering more HPV types. Until 2012, the vaccine in use was the bivalent Cervarix, targeted at HPV 16 and 18. Subsequently, the quadrivalent Gardasil was administered until 2023, when the nonavalent Gardasil 9 was introduced.

This is why it is still possible that cases of cervical cancer may arise even in vaccinated women, caused by strains of HPV that are not targeted by older vaccines.

The study results, however, do not diminish the need for continued screening for the early detection of cervical cancers caused by HPV types not predicted by the original bivalent vaccine.

The impact of vaccination was also greater among women of lower socioeconomic status, who would otherwise have reported a higher incidence of cancer.

It is worth noting that in November last year, another cohort study conducted in Finland, led by Ville Pimenoff, from the Karolinska Institute, demonstrated the creation of herd immunity against HPV. Before that, other research had shown an 88% drop in cervical cancer cases in Sweden thanks to vaccinations.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.