Cancer research has come a long way in recent years. For some researchers, the “holy grail” is a vaccine to prevent cancer.
Imagine that you could create a safe, effective vaccine to protect children from a cancer-causing agent that nearly every person will encounter and which could prevent more than 26,000 cases of cancer and more than 4,000 cancer deaths each year in the United States.
Such a vaccine does exist. However, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only a little more than half of eligible children receive the vaccine.
The vaccine to which I am referring is HPV, or human papilloma virus, vaccine. It protects against four different types of the virus, two of which are linked to various types of cancer but most notably cervical cancer.
The HPV vaccine was introduced for use in the United States in 2006, initially targeting girls beginning with ages 11 and 12. Subsequently, the CDC advisory committee on immunization practices recommended routine vaccination among boys beginning at ages 11 and 12. The vaccine is a three dose series. Catch-up vaccination is recommended for older adolescents and young adults not previously immunized.
In July, the CDC reported that vaccination rates have stalled from 2011 to 2012, with only 54 percent of eligible girls currently vaccinated.
Considering that the vaccine prevents infection with a virus linked to cancer and for which there are an estimated 14 million new infections each year nationwide, this report is disappointing.
HPV is acquired through intimate contact, such as sexual intercourse. This has been a perceived barrier to better vaccine acceptance by parents and even a barrier to providers who may choose not to recommend the vaccine because of the sensitivity of the subject. Yet evidence suggests that nearly all people will be exposed to at least one cancer-linked strain of HPV virus at some time in their life.
The leading reasons parents listed for not vaccinating their child were: The vaccine is not needed, the vaccine is not recommended, safety concerns, lack of knowledge about the vaccine or the disease, and the teen is not sexually active.
The HPV vaccine is known to be safe and effective. Since introduction of the vaccine in 2006, rates of vaccine preventable HPV infection in adolescent girls has dropped 56 percent.
The post-marketing surveillance of vaccine safety since 2006 has shown HPV vaccine to have a similar safety profile to other vaccines. Serious reactions are rare and include symptoms such as headache, nausea and fatigue, all of which are transient.
It is well known that effective immunity comes after vaccination. However, the vaccine provides little benefit after virus exposure. This has been an important factor in recommending completion of the vaccine series at ages 11 and 12.
If you had a safe, effective vaccine that could prevent cancer for your child, would you use it?
Dr. Matthew A. Clark is a board-certified physician in internal medicine and pediatrics practicing at the Ute Mountain Health Center in Towaoc.