Vaccinating girls against HPV dramatically reduced cervical cancer rates in UK, study finds

Vaccinating girls against the human papillomavirus, or HPV, has dramatically reduced the rates of cervical cancer in women, a study from the United Kingdom found.

Cervical cancer rates were 87% lower in women who were vaccinated against HPV when they were between ages 12 and 13 compared to previous generations, the study published Wednesday reported.

The rate of cervical cancer in women who were vaccinated between ages 14 and 16 was 62% lower. And in those vaccinated between 16 and 18, it was 34% lower.

The study, published in the Lancet, relied on data from England's HPV vaccination program, which was introduced in 2008 by giving vaccines to girls beginning at age 12 and offering "catch-up" vaccines for those in older age groups.

"Although previous studies have shown the usefulness of HPV vaccination in preventing HPV infection in England, direct evidence on cervical cancer prevention was limited," said study author Peter Sasieni, a professor at King’s College London, in a statement.

Models indicated England's vaccine program would have a substantial impact on cervical cancer rates, but the data showed a decline greater than expected, Sasieni said.

World Health Organization: The HPV vaccine could end cervical cancer, study suggests

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2018, there were 42.5 million new or existing HPV infections in the United States, many among people in their late teens and early 20s, the CDC said.

Warts are a common symptom of HPV infection, according to the Mayo Clinic. Certain types of HPV infection can also lead to various types of cancer, including cervical cancer. Cancer may take decades to develop after a person is infected with HPV, the CDC says.

Vaccination, however, can help protect against disease from HPV.

In England, public health officials began recommending the Cervarix vaccine in 2008 to protect against two of the most common types of HPV that were responsible for upward of 80% of all cervical cancer. The country now uses the vaccine Gardasil to protect against HPV.

A type of Gardasil that protects against nine types of HPV is the only vaccine currently distributed in the U.S., and more than 54% of American teens were fully vaccinated against HPV in 2019, according to CDC data.

The study, which was funded by Cancer Research UK and conducted by scientists at King’s College London, looked at England's cancer registry between 2006 and 2019 and found significantly lower rates of both cervical cancer and pre-cancerous cells in women who were vaccinated during their teens, especially those between ages 12 and 13.

Parents: Getting the HPV vaccine won't make your daughters have risky sex

The rates of pre-cancerous growths in women vaccinated when they were between ages 12 and 13 was 97% lower than previous generations, the study found. In women vaccinated between 14 and 16, they were 75% lower, and in women vaccinated between 16 and 18, they were 39% lower, the study said.

Overall, the study found 450 fewer cases of cervical cancers and 17,200 fewer pre-cancerous cases in the vaccinated population compared to the unvaccinated population.

Study co-author Dr. Kate Soldan from the UK Health Security Agency said the study was the "first direct evidence" of the impact of the vaccination program on cervical cancer rates.

"This represents an important step forward in cervical cancer prevention," Soldan said, adding that researchers hope the new results encourage more people to be vaccinated.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: HPV vaccine reduced women cervical cancer rate by 87%, study finds