HPV vaccination and cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women worldwide and often affects women under 40 years with young families. Vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major advance, since it offers primary prevention against the infectious agent that is the main cause of the disease. Two prophylactic vaccines have shown great promise in clinical trials. One of these (Gardasil(®)) contains all four HPV types, offering protection against genital warts (types 6 and 11) as well as cervical cancer (types 16 and 18). The other (Cervarix(®)) contains types 16 and 18, targeting cervical cancer alone, but also has a degree of cross-protection against types 31 and 45, which could significantly increase the level of protection. Adolescent girls remain the primary target of vaccination programmes, but the issues of vaccinating boys and older women are increasingly debated.
Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK. a.szarewski@qmul.ac.uk
Anne
A
Szarewski
D000293:Adolescent; D056738:Cross Protection; D005260:Female; D000068857:Human Papillomavirus Recombinant Vaccine Quadrivalent, Types 6, 11, 16, 18; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology
D000068857:Human Papillomavirus Recombinant Vaccine Quadrivalent, Types 6, 11, 16, 18; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; C510352:human papillomavirus vaccine, L1 type 16, 18