HealthDay News — According to a report published in JAMA Oncology, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine appears to be even more effective than previously believed.
Cosette Wheeler, PhD, a professor of pathology and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and colleagues collected data on young women tested for cervical cancer with Pap tests from 2007 to 2014, who were part of the New Mexico HPV Pap Registry. On average, 40% of girls aged 13 to 17 in New Mexico had received all 3 doses in 2014.
“After 8 years of vaccination, the reduction in the incidence of cervical neoplasia, including pre-cancers, have been reduced approximately 50%. This is greater than what was expected,” Wheeler told HealthDay. The study also showed that the protection appears to occur even when only 1 or 2 of the recommended doses of the vaccine are given. “People thought that 3 doses of the vaccine were necessary, but there are a lot of people who are getting protection from only 1 or 2 doses,” she said.
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Although this is not the first report to show the effectiveness of the vaccine, it’s the first to show declines in precancerous lesions across a large population, Wheeler said. The researchers also found that the reductions in the number of precancerous lesions were greater than anticipated.
“Parents and doctors should pay attention. These vaccines are highly efficacious,” Wheeler said. It’s up to doctors to be sure kids are vaccinated, she added. “It’s their job, just like other vaccines, to provide them to their patients. They are the key to get this done.”
Several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies, including GlaxoSmithKline and Merck, manufacturers of HPV vaccines.
Reference
Benard VB, et al. “Population-Based Incidence Rates Of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia In The Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Era”. JAMA Oncology. 2016 September 29. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.3609. [Epub ahead of print]
