The cervical cancer vaccine, also known as the HPV vaccine, is the first human vaccine to prevent malignancies. Its mechanism of action is to prevent the mutation of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the human body. It is now well established that 90% of cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with high-risk HPV types. Of the four variants of HPV 16, 18, 6 and 11, the first two have a 75% chance of causing cervical cancer in women and the latter has a 50% chance of causing other reproductive diseases.
There are only two HPV vaccines available worldwide, the quadrivalent (types 6, 11, 16, 18) HPV vaccine from Mercer and the bivalent (types 16, 18) HPV vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline.
What are the indications for the cervical cancer vaccine?
Merck Sharp & Dohme’s quadrivalent (types 6, 11, 16, 18) HPV vaccine protects against diseases caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18, including.
1. cervical cancer.
2.pre-existing vaginal cancer.
3.pre-existing vulvar cancer.
4. genital warts.
For young women who are already infected with one of the HPV types covered by the vaccine, they may have less protection from the vaccine than women who have never been infected with any of the four HPV types, but the vaccine still protects them against the remaining three HPV types.
It is important to note that the vaccine does not treat pre-existing HPV infections, warts, pre-cancer or cancer. The vaccine does not protect against diseases that are not caused by the HPV virus.
Get the cervical cancer vaccine before it’s too late (best age is 11-12 years old)
Data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey show that HPV infection rates are already higher than 20% among girls in the 14-19 age group and peak in the 20-24 age group. This is closely related to the sexual contact transmission of HPV. The U.S. and World Health Organization (WHO) have thus set the age of HPV vaccine protection at 9-26 years, with the most appropriate age for vaccination being 11-12 years when there has been no sexual contact.
Prevalence of HPV infection in women by age group, US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2006 data. This does not mean, however, that the vaccine is not effective in the group of women who have had sexual contact. Given that the probability of HPV infection increases greatly after a woman has had sexual contact, it is even more important to get vaccinated at this time to prevent possible HPV infection afterwards.
Process of cervical cancer vaccination
The cervical cancer vaccine requires three injections over a six-month period. Minors need to obtain consent from their guardians for vaccination. People who are allergic to the ingredients of the vaccine and pregnant women should not be vaccinated.
What is the safety profile of the cervical cancer vaccine?
The vaccine has been clinically studied and proven to have no serious side effects. The vaccine does not contain viral genes or any infectious material and therefore does not cause infection or HPV-related disease. According to clinical analysis, people who get married early (before the age of 17), have children early (get pregnant before the age of 18), have multiple births (more than 4 births), have too much sex, are unhygienic and have cervical erosion are at high risk of getting cervical cancer.
25% of cervical cancers cannot be prevented by vaccine
Currently, there are more than 200 identified HPV viruses, and there are more than a dozen high-risk subtypes related to cervical cancer, such as 16 and 18. Therefore, the coverage of HPV vaccine is still limited, and at least 25% of cervical cancers cannot be prevented by the existing vaccine. There is no guarantee that the vaccine will not prevent cervical cancer caused by other high-risk HPV types such as type 33 and 35.
How long is the vaccine valid?
The current expiration date of the vaccine varies due to the different injections, but they all range from 5-6 years. Due to the short time that cervical cancer has been on the market, it is still in the research phase and the long-term validity of the vaccine has not yet been determined.
Precautions.
1. People with colds and fever should adjust their vaccination appointments.
2. Vaccination is not recommended during pregnancy.
3. People who are allergic to yeast, proteins, etc. should not be vaccinated (e.g., eggs, bread, etc.).