Cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) cause result in 6,100 deaths a year in America. HPV vaccination could prevent more than 90% of these cancers from ever developing.
April is Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month. The Kaiser Family Foundation shared that since the HPV vaccine was first introduced, there has been a significant decline in the prevalence of four HPV strains. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year in the United States, 33,700 women and men are diagnosed with a cancer caused by HPV infection, such as cervical cancer, head and neck cancers, and anal cancer. The HPV vaccine can reduce your risk of cancer by protecting against the strains of HPV that can cause the disease.
Over the years, researchers have learned more about when people should get the HPV vaccine. It was originally approved for females ages nine through 26. Then the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended both females and males get vaccinated up to age 26. However, people can now get vaccinated up to age 45.
Resources:
https://preventcancer.org/prevention-screening/cancer-prevention-and-early-detection-month/
https://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm
https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/stds/hpv.php
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/hpv/statistics/state/index.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/vacc-specific/hpv.html
