Miller and Miller: HPV vaccines leave kids cancer-free
Caitlin Miller is a medical student at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Jonathan Miller is the division chief of primary care for Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley.
More than 13 million Americans, mostly adolescents and young adults, will become infected this year with HPV, and an estimated 36,000 adults will consequently be diagnosed with an HPV-related cancer. While most HPV infections are fought off by our immune systems, persistent infection can lead to cancer, such as cervical, anal, penile and throat cancer. Modern science has given us a strong tool to avert this virus and its associated cancers in the form of the HPV vaccine. The United States approved this cancer-preventing vaccine in 2006, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends two doses of the HPV vaccine, starting at age 11 — or as early as age 9. As HPV is spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Cancer Society both recommend vaccinating children starting at age 9 to provide full protection by age 13. While children at any age above 9 can receive the HPV vaccine, timely administration is key, as the vaccine is only effective in its cancer-preventing ability if children are vaccinated before they become infected with the virus.
The HPV vaccine is exceptionally effective at preventing HPV-associated cancers and has the potential to save lives. According to the National Cancer Institute, the HPV vaccine can prevent an estimated 90% of HPV-related cancers, particularly in adults who were vaccinated as children. The HPV vaccine effectively shields children, regardless of gender, from the consequences of an HPV infection later in life. However, despite the vaccine’s proven success, HPV vaccination rates remain significantly lower than other common childhood immunizations. The 2022 National Immunization Survey of teens found that, while more than 88% of adolescents in Delaware had received both the Tdap vaccine (which prevents tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough) and the meningococcal vaccine (which prevents meningitis and other bloodstream infections), only 68.2% of adolescents in Delaware are fully vaccinated against HPV. Further, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services reported that the mortality rate from cervical cancer is increasing in the state, rising by 30% from 2003-07 to 2013-17. Now is the time to act to safeguard Delaware children’s health through this cancer-preventing vaccine.
Nemours Children’s Health has been working hard to increase rates of HPV vaccination. Over the past few years, Nemours Children’s has implemented a campaign to educate patients about the cancer-preventing capabilities of the HPV vaccine, as well as to encourage providers and staff to start vaccinating children at age 9 to ensure children are fully protected before starting high school. Through this relentless work, we have seen a significant increase in the rates of timely HPV vaccination in our communities. It is our hope that, one day, all children will receive this lifesaving vaccine. If you’re a parent of a child of any age, don’t hesitate to ask his or her pediatrician about the incredible cancer-fighting benefits of the HPV vaccine.
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