PR94821

GENEVA, March 4, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

To mark International HPV Awareness Day March 4th 2022, the International

Papillomavirus Society (IPVS) has warmly welcomed two major advances in the

elimination of cervical and anal cancers.

HPV (human papillomavirus) is associated with 630,000 cancer diagnoses around

the world. Almost all cases of cervical and anal cancers are caused by HPV.  

These cancers lead to 470,000 deaths, over 300,000 of which are due to cervical

cancer.  Current tools for the prevention of HPV-related cancers are:

vaccination for girls and boys; cervical screening and the treatment of

cervical pre-cancers in women.

Vaccination of young adolescents with two vaccine doses has been the

recommended standard of care for several years. However, the UK Government's

Joint Commission on Vaccination and Immunization has just issued interim advice

recommending a shift to a single dose schedule.

The proposed change has been warmly welcomed by IPVS President Prof Suzanne

Garland, who said, "The evidence that a single dose vaccine schedule for HPV

offers a high degree of protection against the types of HPV that cause cancer

is now clear. The benefits of this, in terms of logistics, workforce and costs

represent a potential game-changer, particularly for low- and middle-income

countries. One less jab and the elimination of cervical cancer within a

generation would really mean one less worry for the world."

Another significant recent breakthrough in the prevention of HPV-related cancer

is the ANCHOR study into anal cancer prevention which has found that

pre-cancerous changes in the anus can be treated to halt progression of anal

cancer in a similar way to cervical cancer. Over 50,000 people are diagnosed

with anal cancer each year.

Trial lead Dr Joel Palefsky said, "Almost all cases of cervical and anal cancer

are caused by HPV and while vaccination provides a first line of defense, for

many people who either missed out on vaccination, or who simply aren't covered

by local vaccination policies, there has been no effective tool to prevent anal

cancer.  It is exciting that, for the first time, we have clear evidence of an

approach that could reduce anal cancer for both men and women."  Dr Palefsky

and his team will be working with various professional organizations to

translate these results into standard of care guidelines where possible.

Notes to Editors

1.        International Papillomavirus Society: IPVS is the only organization

dedicated to support of research and public health initiatives related to

papillomaviruses IPVS - Who We Are [https://ipvsoc.org/who-we-are/  ]

(ipvsoc.org)

2.        International HPV Awareness Day: On March 4th around 120 organisations

deliver events and activities to raise awareness of HPV. Find out more about

the One Less Worry Campaign at AskAboutHPV.org [ https://www.askabouthpv.org/

].

3.        Sources

a.        COVID-19 and cervical cancer - A pandemic's impact and a global response  [

https://ncdalliance.org/news-events/blog/covid-19-and-cervical-cancer-a-pandemic%25E2%2580%2599s-impact-and-a-global-response

]

b.        Sharp Declines in Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening  [

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0630-cancer-screenings.html#:~:text=The%2520decline%2520for%2520cervical%2520cancer,end%2520of%2520the%2520observation%2520period.

]

c.        Single Dose of HPV Vaccine Yields Long-Term Protection from Many

Cancer-Causing Types  [

https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/hpv-vaccine-single-dose-long-term-protection

]

d.        JCVI interim advice on a one-dose schedule for the routine HPV immunisation

programme  [

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/single-dose-of-hpv-vaccine-jcvi-interim-advice/jcvi-interim-advice-on-a-one-dose-schedule-for-the-routine-hpv-immunisation-programme

]

e.        Treating Anal Cancer Precursor Lesions Reduces Cancer Risk for People With

HIV [

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2021/10/421591/treating-anal-cancer-precursor-lesions-reduces-cancer-risk-people-hiv#:~:text=In%2520a%2520randomized%2520clinical%2520trial,anal%2520cancer%2520were%2520significantly%2520reduced.

]

Spokespeople

Professor Suzanne Garland, IPVS President, Professor of Reproductive & Neonatal

Infectious Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Director of

the Women's Centre for Infectious Diseases in Melbourne. Regular advisor to the

World Health Organisation (WHO) on sexual and reproductive health, cervical

cancer and HPV.

Dr. Joel Palefsky, founder and chairperson of the IPVS International HPV

Awareness Day campaign. Leading expert on HPV infection, specialising in the

impact of HPV on men and those living with HIV, and reducing the risk of anal

cancer.

@askabouthpv - Instagram

@AskAboutHPV - FB

@AskAboutHPV - Twitter

Hashtags:

#askabouthpv

#onelessworry

#hpvawarenessday

Photo -

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1758494/IPVS_International_Papillomavirus_Society.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1758495/IPVS_Screening.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1758496/IPVS_Logo.jpg  

Source:  IPVS International Papillomavirus Society