Experts: No matter what the price of HPV vaccine, early vaccination is "value"

Since 6, China has promoted the implementation of women's cervical cancer and breast cancer screening projects, and has carried out a total of 2 million free cervical cancer screenings so far; in the next step, the National Health Commission will promote the implementation of the three-level prevention and control strategy of cervical cancer and breast cancer, including promoting HPV vaccination... This is the information recently revealed by the National Health Commission at a press conference.

In the field of cervical cancer prevention and control, striving to achieve "no disease" through primary prevention and control is obviously the focus of future work. Experts also emphasize that for HPV vaccines, no matter what the price of the vaccine, early vaccination is "valuable", and the 9-14 years old age group is the best time to receive HPV vaccines.

Infographic: HPV virus models and vaccines. Photo by Wang Dongming

The earlier the age at which sexual activity occurs, the greater the risk of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a malignant tumor that originates in the cervix of the uterus and is the most common gynaecological malignancy. In recent years, the incidence of cervical cancer in China is still on the rise, and it is showing a younger trend.

According to WHO's statistics in 2020, there are 60,34 new cases of cervical cancer and about 11,6 deaths worldwide, ranking first in the world in the incidence of malignant tumors of the female reproductive system, of which nearly 1,5 new cases of cervical cancer in China and nearly <>,<> deaths, accounting for about <>/<> of the world, seriously endangering the health of women in China.

However, cervical cancer is currently the only cancer with clear etiology, prevention and control, and HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination can effectively prevent HPV persistent infection and related cervical lesions, which is the main measure for primary prevention of cervical cancer.

"The earlier a girl has sex, the greater the risk of cervical cancer." You Chuan, a professor at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, said in an interview with reporters.

The ninth edition of obstetrics and gynecology also mentioned that compared with women with a first sexual age of less than 21 years, the risk of cervical cancer in women with a first sexual age of 17-20 years old will increase by 1.5 times, and the risk of cancer in women younger than 17 years old will increase by 2 times.

You Chuan introduced that human papillomavirus is a very common sexually transmitted pathogen and is also the culprit of cervical cancer. Among the HPV types detected in cervical cancer, the most common are HPV16 and HPV18, and more than 70% of cervical cancer cases worldwide are related to persistent infection of these two high-risk HPVs. The HPV vaccine targets key subtypes of the virus.

In addition, You Chuan said that HPV vaccine, as the first vaccine that can prevent cancer, can not only prevent persistent HPV infection, but also effectively reduce the incidence of female reproductive organ diseases.

Data map: Haikou school-age girls are vaccinated against HPV. Photo by Wang Haohao

Regardless of the price of the vaccine, early vaccination is "value"

According to media reports, according to epidemiological studies of HPV infection, there are two peak periods of high-risk HPV infection in women in China, the first peak period is 15-24 years old, and the second peak period is over 40 years old.

The "Guidelines for Comprehensive Prevention and Control of Cervical Cancer" issued by the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association recommends that the preventive HPV vaccine is best vaccinated before the first sexual activity, and it is best to be vaccinated as soon as possible and protect as soon as possible. Therefore, the young age group of 9-14 years old is the best time to get the HPV vaccine, and vaccination at this age stage produces a better immune effect.

With the increase in public attention to HPV vaccine, many parents have wondered whether children are too young to be vaccinated? In this regard, You Chuan said that a large number of studies have shown that HPV vaccination before the age of 15, especially before sexual activity, has a better effect than the adult group, because the vaccine protection effect declines with age, and adolescent children have the best vaccination effect.

At the same time, the reporter learned that the domestic approved bivalent HPV vaccine (including imported and domestic) only needs to be vaccinated with two doses for women aged 9-14, simplifying the vaccination procedure under the premise of effective prevention of the disease and reducing the cost of vaccination by about one-third.

You Chuan said that the bivalent vaccine can prevent persistent infection of two subtypes of HPV16 and 18, which plays a very good role in preventing cervical cancer. You Chuan also stressed that no matter what the price of the vaccine, early vaccination has "value". "If the child is vaccinated before having sex, two doses of the vaccine can have the effect of three doses of the vaccine for adults, so don't think that children are young and don't get vaccinated, in fact, the effect of HPV vaccine is better for children at a young age." (End)