7 days ago
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)
