No cervical cancer cases detected in vaccinated women in Scotland following HPV immunization

No cervical cancer cases have been detected in fully vaccinated women following the human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization at age 12 to 13, in the 16 years since the program started in Scotland, research has found.

The study, involving the University of Strathclyde, concludes that the HPV vaccine is highly effective in preventing the development of cervical cancer.

HPV is a common virus, usually spread through sexual contact, and responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer—the fourth-most common cause of cancer in women worldwide.

The HPV vaccine is offered as a routine immunization through school-based programs to all S1 pupils in Scotland. It helps to protect both boys and girls from other HPV-related cancers later in life, such as head, neck and anogenital cancers as well as genital warts.

This year's HPV immunization program is already underway, with consent forms having been sent home from schools across most of Scotland. Young people are encouraged to talk to their parents or caregivers about the vaccine and return the signed consent forms by the deadline.

The study has been published in the JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Kimberley Kavanagh, senior lecturer in Strathclyde's Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and a co-author of the study, said, "This study shows the remarkable power of using data to demonstrate how highly effective the HPV vaccination campaign has been in lowering rates of cervical cancer in young women in Scotland. This transformative impact could lead to cervical cancer being a rare disease for women in the future."