HPV Vaccine 'Game Changer' For Preventing Cancer In Women

More than 100,000 gynecologic cancers are diagnosed each year, including cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal and vulvar cancer. Several gynecologic cancers are the result of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of viruses that are typically spread through sexual contact.

What Is The HPV Virus?

Human papillomavirus is not just one virus but a group of more than 200 related viruses. About 40 of the most common HPV viruses are easily spread through sexual conduct.

"HPV is so prevalent in this country that nearly all Americans will have it at some point in their lifetimes," said Abhigyan Banka, MD, with Franciscan Physician Network Beech Grove Family Medicine.

HPV infections can lead to:

• Genital warts
• Cervical cancer
• Anal cancer
• Cancer of the mouth and throat
• Vaginal cancer
• Vulvar cancers.

Vaccination Lowers Cervical Cancer Risk

HPV has been linked to 90% of cases of cervical cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. And research is showing that most cases could be prevented with HPV vaccination.

A 13-year study published in the medical journal Lancet found that compared to unvaccinated women, the risk of cervical cancer was 87% lower among those who received an HPV vaccine at ages 12 or 13. By contrast, it was 62% lower in those who got the vaccine at ages 14-16 and 34% lower those vaccinated at ages 16-18.

"The HPV vaccine is a game-changer," said Gail Cansler, MD, a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist in Chicago Heights, Illinois. "It greatly reduces the risk of HPV-related cancers."

An HPV vaccination can prevent a cancer 30 or 40 years later.

"It's totally preventable," said Michael Eaton, MD, with Franciscan Health Cancer Center Indianapolis. "The vaccine is a good investment, because it's cheaper to prevent a cancer than to treat it."

How Does The HPV Vaccine Work?

The only HPV vaccine available in the United States is Gardasil 9. The vaccine is created with proteins that mimic HPV, which stimulate the body to produce antibodies. When a person comes in contact with an HPV virus, those antibodies bind to the virus and prevent it from infecting cells.

Gardasil 9 has been proven highly effective at preventing HPV infection caused by nine strands of HPV, seven of which can cause cancer. By preventing those infections, the vaccine effectively protects against an estimated 90 percent of HPV-induced cancers.

"We encourage every young woman to be vaccinated against HPV," Dr. Banka said. "And every young man, too. The HPV vaccine is one of the medical community's safest and most effective ways of preventing cancer."

When Is HPV Vaccine Most Effective?

To be most effective, a person should get the HPV vaccine before they become sexually active. The CDC recommends vaccinations for girls and boys as early as age 9, but typically at ages 11 or 12.

“Everybody who's between nine and 26 should definitely be getting the HPV vaccine,” said Jessica H Siegler, MD, a Munster, Indiana, OBGYN with Franciscan Physician Network Family Wellness Center. “From the age 26 to 45, it can be an individualized decision with the doctor.”

Even if you've been sexually active for years, there is still some benefit to getting the HPV vaccine. Why? Because while you may already have been exposed to one or more types of the virus, you may be exposed to many additional types in the future. The vaccine will protect you against those.

The vaccine will not treat or clear any HPV infections you already have.

Dr. Siegler notes that some older women may benefit from receiving the HPV vaccine.

“There are some people where it's a good idea even past the age of 45. This is also an area that's sort of rapidly developing,” she said. “This is a newer recommendation that anybody who's had very abnormal pap smears in the past should probably get that vaccine and it can help prevent the recurrence of the abnormal pap smear in the future. And that would be even above the age of 45. And then so that vaccine, which is the HPV vaccine, helps prevent cervical cancer and also genital warts. So two things that are good to prevent.”

Who Should Not Get The HPV Vaccine?

Certain people should not get the HPV vaccine, including those who are pregnant or have immunocompromising diseases like HIV. If you are breastfeeding, you may safely receive the vaccine.

Additionally, the CDC recommends that people who have had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any ingredient in an HPV vaccine or who have an allergy to yeast not get the HPV vaccine.

What Are The Side Effects Of The HPV Vaccine?

The CDC says that side effects of HPV vaccine include:

• Pain, redness or swelling where the shot was given
• Fever
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Nausea
• Joint or muscle pain.

Learn more about the HPV vaccine.

Men Benefit From HPV Vaccine, Too

HPV causes about 36,000 cases of cancer in both men and women in the U.S., the CDC reports. The virus also causes cancers of the penis, anus, head and neck among men and is linked to about 16,000 cases of cancer each year.

About 4 out of every 10 cases of cancer caused by HPV occur among men, the CDC says. Every year, more than 15,000 American men develop cancers caused by HPV.