Latest news with #HPV-linked
Euractiv
6 days ago
- Health
- Euractiv
A vaccine against cancer – but not for everyone
Some EU countries are beating HPV-related cancers, but others fail to provide life-saving measures. When Kim Hulscher sits upright at a table, her right leg swells. This is a lasting effect of lymphedema, a common cancer-related condition she developed after her cervical cancer treatment. 'I have to buy shoes that are twice my size because my foot won't fit into normal ones,' she says. Now, more than a decade after her diagnosis, she is speaking at the European Parliament during a conference titled 'Accelerating Progress Towards the EU's Goal of Eliminating HPV Cancers,' hosted by the European Cancer Organisation and the vice-chair of the Health Committee, Tilly Metz. Hulscher is there as co-chair of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology – and as a cancer survivor committed to helping spare others what she went through. Hulscher's cervical cancer, like many others, was caused by a type of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which can often be prevented through vaccination and detected early through screening. Far from elimination Yet Europe is still far from stopping these cancers. According to the World Health Organization, cervical cancer elimination means reducing incidence to fewer than four cases per 100,000 women. The most optimistic projections suggest that Europe could achieve this goal by 2050. In 2022, the ratio stood at 56 per 100,000 across the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Around 130,000 women were newly diagnosed, and 14,000 died. HPV-linked head and neck cancers also remain significant causes of mortality. In 2022, 86,000 people were diagnosed, 74% of them men. These cancers caused about 26,000 deaths across the region. Vaccination at a young age is the most effective way to prevent such deaths. Once sexually active, HPV infection is nearly unavoidable. 'It is as contagious as a cold,' said Hulscher. Another participant put it more vividly: 'HPV is like glitter – it gets everywhere: in your car, in your pockets. So it doesn't have to be penetrative sex to catch it.' Often, HPV infections clear up on their own without causing lasting damage, and only about a dozen of the over 200 known HPV types are cancer-causing. However, the only sure way to avoid infection with these is to live like a nun or a monk. Last year, the European Council adopted recommendations urging countries to fully vaccinate at least 90% of girls and significantly increase uptake among boys. All EU member states now offer gender-neutral vaccination. Only five EEA countries – Portugal, Sweden, Cyprus, Iceland, and Norway – have reached the 90% coverage target for girls. 'There is a lot of work to be done,' said Karam Adel, principal expert at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. He also noted a 'huge disparity between West and East,' with some countries reporting female coverage well below 50%. The price of inaction According to conference participants, vaccine scepticism, limited registries, and underfunded national vaccination programmes remain major roadblocks. The benefits of prevention, however, are not only medical but also financial. In a study involving six European countries (Romania, Poland, France, Austria, the Netherlands, and Germany), Maarten J. Postma, professor of medical sciences and an expert in health economics, estimated potential savings of €2.75 billion between 2030 and 2060. All it would take is for these countries to reach the 90% HPV vaccination target by 2030, along with WHO-recommended screening and treatment goals. 'We should conceive vaccination – and prevention in general – not as a cost but rather as an investment,' said Postma. Still, awareness remains low. "Consistently, studies show that whether it's children, young adults, or parents, people are unaware of the consequences of HPV infections," said Adel. He also stressed the importance of ongoing screening, even for those who are vaccinated, as vaccines do not cover all high-risk HPV types. Metz echoed the call for stronger education. "To truly eliminate HPV, we need progressive, inclusive, and scientifically accurate education – because empowering young people with knowledge is one of the most effective forms of prevention," she said. (de)
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cancer caused by HPV is increasing in some women in the U.S.
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, although recent research suggests that the United States is backsliding in efforts to detect the disease early, when it is most curable. A new study shows that the percentage of women screened for cervical cancer fell from 47% in 2019 to 41% in 2023. Rural women are 25% more likely to be diagnosed and 42% more likely to die from cervical cancer than women who live in cities, a trend that likely reflects lower screening rates in less populated areas, according to the study, published in JAMA Network Open this month. Every year, 13,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with cervical cancer, which is almost always caused by HPV, or human papillomavirus. About 4,320 die each year, according to the American Cancer Society. Cervical cancer rates have been edging upward among women in their 30s and early 40s, perhaps because women ages 21 to 29 are the least likely to be up to date on their screenings, with 29% being overdue. Cervical cancer takes several years to develop, progressing from abnormal cell changes and precancers before transforming into cancer. Studies show that women are also less likely to be screened if they are nonwhite, uninsured or identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual. HPV vaccines are safe and can prevent 90% of cervical cancers. Yet resistance to the vaccine, which protects against cancer-causing strains of the sexually transmitted infection, has persisted since it was approved almost 20 years ago. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has disparaged them as dangerous, linking HPV shots to autoimmune conditions and mental illness.A federal judge in North Carolina on March 10 dismissed legal claims that the HPV shot, sold by Merck as Gardasil, could cause patients to develop certain health conditions. Another lawsuit alleging that Gardasil causes serious side effects has been put on hold until September because of Kennedy's involvement in the case. Although Kennedy disclosed in an ethics statement that he stood to receive referral fees from one of the law firms suing Merck, he later said he would give any earnings to his son. Vaccine hesitancy has kept many parents from vaccinating their children. Only 61% of adolescents are up to date on all HPV vaccines, given as a series of two or three shots depending on age. More than 42 million people in the U.S. carry at least one strain of HPV that can cause disease, including genital warts or cancer, and 47,00 a year are diagnosed with an HPV-linked malignancy. Yet research has found a decline in awareness that HPV is linked with a number of cancers, including cervical, throat and anal. With so many people at risk, we asked experts to help clear up confusion over HPV vaccination and screening. The American Cancer Society recommends that people have a primary HPV test every five years from ages 25 to 65. If primary HPV testing is not available, the society recommends either combining an HPV test with a Pap test every five years or a Pap test alone every three years Among women ages 20 to 24 — who were eligible for HPV shots as adolescents — the incidence of cervical precancer fell nearly 80% from 2008 to 2002, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cervical cancer incidence fell 65% from 2012 to 2019 among women under 25. Death rates from cervical cancer among the same age group fell 62% from 2013-2015 to 2019-2021. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Among sexually active people, more than 90% of men and 80% of women are infected with HPV during their lifetimes. About half of HPV infections involve high-risk strains. In addition to cervical cancer, HPV can cause cancers of the vagina, vulva, anus, penis and head and neck. Given how common these viruses are, no one should feel embarrassed to learn they have HPV, said Dr. Rebecca Perkins, an obstetrician-gynecologist and investigator at the Woman, Mother and Baby Research Institute at Tufts Medical Center. 'We need to decrease the stigma associated with having a positive test,' Perkins said. Although there are more than 200 types of HPV, only a few cause cancer. These types are known as high-risk strains and are included in routine cervical cancer screenings, because they have the highest chance of causing cancer, said Dr. Verda Hicks, immediate past president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 'If an HPV test is positive for high-risk HPV, it indicates an active infection that increases the risk for development of a pre-cancer or cancer,' Hicks said. Does being infected with high-risk HPV give you a high risk of cancer? A. No. The immune system clears most HPV infections within a year or two, Hicks said. Most people with high-risk HPV experience short-term infections that cause mild changes in cervical cells, which return to normal once the infection clears. Doctors become more concerned if someone tests positive for high-risk HPV for longer than two years as persistent infections can lead to the development of a precancer or cancer. About 1% of people with HPV develop a 'long-term, chronic infection' and even fewer develop cervical cancer, Hicks said. 'Women should not freak out' just because they have high-risk HPV, Hicks said. A positive test 'means the screening process is doing its job. It is identifying someone who possibly has a persistent infection.' Undergoing routine screenings and any recommended follow-up tests allow doctors to catch these changes early, when they're easier to treat, Perkins said. That's why it's essential not to skip any checkups, she said. 'The longer that someone remains positive, the higher the risk' of developing cancer, Perkins said. Among women screened for the first time in their 20s and 30s, up to 20% learn that they have high-risk HPV, said Dr. Mark Einstein, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and women's health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. There's no blanket prescription for people with high-risk HPV, said Hicks, who noted that doctors tailor their advice for each individual, depending on a variety of risk factors. While people with high-risk HPV shouldn't panic, they should take the finding seriously, follow their doctor's advice and attend any recommended follow-up visits, she said. These visits allow doctors to look for abnormal cells, which can be removed before they turn into cancer. Yes. That's because the original HPV shots, which were approved for children and adolescents in 2006, protected against the two riskiest viral strains, which together cause 70% of cervical cancer, as well as two strains that cause genital warts. Although the first HPV vaccines were very effective, people who were vaccinated with them could be infected with one of the HPV strains that cause the other 30% of cervical cancers, Perkins said. Updated HPV shots now protect against nine strains of the virus and protect against 90% of cervical and anal cancers, as well as most strains that cause mouth and throat cancers. Yes. A positive HPV test doesn't necessarily reflect a recent infection. Although the immune system usually does a good job of controlling HPV, the virus doesn't disappear from the body. HPV can sometimes reactivate, especially if a person's immune system has been under stress due to an illness or certain medications, Perkins said. 'We see reactivations in women who have not been sexually active in 10 years,' Perkins said. 'It's just a function of the virus escaping the immune system. You should never get a divorce over a diagnosis of HPV.' In some ways, HPV is similar to the chickenpox virus, which can hide in nerve cells for decades before reactivating and causing a painful condition called shingles. 'It doesn't matter whether the infection is old or new; we still need to follow up,' Perkins said. There's no cure for the virus itself. Health professionals can remove abnormal growths on the cervix, as well as genital warts. This article was originally published on
NBC News
22-03-2025
- Health
- NBC News
Cancer caused by HPV is increasing in some women in the U.S.
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, although recent research suggests that the United States is backsliding in efforts to detect the disease early, when it is most curable. A new study shows that the percentage of women screened for cervical cancer fell from 47% in 2019 to 41% in 2023. Rural women are 25% more likely to be diagnosed and 42% more likely to die from cervical cancer than women who live in cities, a trend that likely reflects lower screening rates in less populated areas, according to the study, published in JAMA Network Open this month. Every year, 13,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with cervical cancer, which is almost always caused by HPV, or human papillomavirus. About 4,320 die each year, according to the American Cancer Society. Cervical cancer rates have been edging upward among women in their 30s and early 40s, perhaps because women ages 21 to 29 are the least likely to be up to date on their screenings, with 29% being overdue. Cervical cancer takes several years to develop, progressing from abnormal cell changes and precancers before transforming into cancer. Studies show that women are also less likely to be screened if they are nonwhite, uninsured or identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual. HPV vaccines are safe and can prevent 90% of cervical cancers. Yet resistance to the vaccine, which protects against cancer-causing strains of the sexually transmitted infection, has persisted since it was approved almost 20 years ago. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has disparaged them as dangerous, linking HPV shots to autoimmune conditions and mental illness. A federal judge in North Carolina on March 10 dismissed legal claims that the HPV shot, sold by Merck as Gardasil, could cause patients to develop certain health conditions. Another lawsuit alleging that Gardasil causes serious side effects has been put on hold until September because of Kennedy's involvement in the case. Although Kennedy disclosed in an ethics statement that he stood to receive referral fees from one of the law firms suing Merck, he later said he would give any earnings to his son. Vaccine hesitancy has kept many parents from vaccinating their children. Only 61% of adolescents are up to date on all HPV vaccines, given as a series of two or three shots depending on age. More than 42 million people in the U.S. carry at least one strain of HPV that can cause disease, including genital warts or cancer, and 47,00 a year are diagnosed with an HPV-linked malignancy. Yet research has found a decline in awareness that HPV is linked with a number of cancers, including cervical, throat and anal. With so many people at risk, we asked experts to help clear up confusion over HPV vaccination and screening. How often should women be screened for cervical cancer? The American Cancer Society recommends that people have a primary HPV test every five years from ages 25 to 65. If primary HPV testing is not available, the society recommends either combining an HPV test with a Pap test every five years or a Pap test alone every three years How have HPV vaccines affected rates of cervical cancer and precancer? Among women ages 20 to 24 — who were eligible for HPV shots as adolescents — the incidence of cervical precancer fell nearly 80% from 2008 to 2002, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cervical cancer incidence fell 65% from 2012 to 2019 among women under 25. Death rates from cervical cancer among the same age group fell 62% from 2013-2015 to 2019-2021. How common is HPV? HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Among sexually active people, more than 90% of men and 80% of women are infected with HPV during their lifetimes. About half of HPV infections involve high-risk strains. In addition to cervical cancer, HPV can cause cancers of the vagina, vulva, anus, penis and head and neck. Given how common these viruses are, no one should feel embarrassed to learn they have HPV, said Dr. Rebecca Perkins, an obstetrician-gynecologist and investigator at the Woman, Mother and Baby Research Institute at Tufts Medical Center. 'We need to decrease the stigma associated with having a positive test,' Perkins said. What does it mean if a test shows you have high-risk HPV? Although there are more than 200 types of HPV, only a few cause cancer. These types are known as high-risk strains and are included in routine cervical cancer screenings, because they have the highest chance of causing cancer, said Dr. Verda Hicks, immediate past president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 'If an HPV test is positive for high-risk HPV, it indicates an active infection that increases the risk for development of a pre-cancer or cancer,' Hicks said. Does being infected with high-risk HPV give you a high risk of cancer? A. No. The immune system clears most HPV infections within a year or two, Hicks said. Most people with high-risk HPV experience short-term infections that cause mild changes in cervical cells, which return to normal once the infection clears. Doctors become more concerned if someone tests positive for high-risk HPV for longer than two years as persistent infections can lead to the development of a precancer or cancer. About 1% of people with HPV develop a 'long-term, chronic infection' and even fewer develop cervical cancer, Hicks said. 'Women should not freak out' just because they have high-risk HPV, Hicks said. A positive test 'means the screening process is doing its job. It is identifying someone who possibly has a persistent infection.' Undergoing routine screenings and any recommended follow-up tests allow doctors to catch these changes early, when they're easier to treat, Perkins said. That's why it's essential not to skip any checkups, she said. 'The longer that someone remains positive, the higher the risk' of developing cancer, Perkins said. How common are high-risk HPV infections? Among women screened for the first time in their 20s and 30s, up to 20% learn that they have high-risk HPV, said Dr. Mark Einstein, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and women's health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. What should people with high-risk HPV infections do? There's no blanket prescription for people with high-risk HPV, said Hicks, who noted that doctors tailor their advice for each individual, depending on a variety of risk factors. While people with high-risk HPV shouldn't panic, they should take the finding seriously, follow their doctor's advice and attend any recommended follow-up visits, she said. These visits allow doctors to look for abnormal cells, which can be removed before they turn into cancer. Can people who were vaccinated against HPV still test positive? Yes. That's because the original HPV shots, which were approved for children and adolescents in 2006, protected against the two riskiest viral strains, which together cause 70% of cervical cancer, as well as two strains that cause genital warts. Although the first HPV vaccines were very effective, people who were vaccinated with them could be infected with one of the HPV strains that cause the other 30% of cervical cancers, Perkins said. Updated HPV shots now protect against nine strains of the virus and protect against 90% of cervical and anal cancers, as well as most strains that cause mouth and throat cancers. Can you test positive for high-risk HPV years after being infected? Yes. A positive HPV test doesn't necessarily reflect a recent infection. Although the immune system usually does a good job of controlling HPV, the virus doesn't disappear from the body. HPV can sometimes reactivate, especially if a person's immune system has been under stress due to an illness or certain medications, Perkins said. 'We see reactivations in women who have not been sexually active in 10 years,' Perkins said. 'It's just a function of the virus escaping the immune system. You should never get a divorce over a diagnosis of HPV.' In some ways, HPV is similar to the chickenpox virus, which can hide in nerve cells for decades before reactivating and causing a painful condition called shingles. 'It doesn't matter whether the infection is old or new; we still need to follow up,' Perkins said.
