HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) & CERVICAL CANCER

What is human papillomavirus?
HPV is a common, highly infectious virus, which can infect the cells of the cervix. There are over 100 different strains of HPV but only 15 strains are considered to be cancer-causing.  Up to 80% of women will be infected at some point in their lives although experts stress that only a small percentage of women that are infected will go on to develop the disease as, in most instances, infections of this nature tend to clear naturally. 

If the body does not clear the virus, the infection can become persistent and can then cause abnormal cell changes which might eventually turn into cancer.  Some other factors, including smoking and long-term use of oral contraceptives, may also make an HPV infection more likely to persist – and therefore increase the risk of cancerous changes in the cervical tissue.  But these lifestyle factors alone do not cause cervical cancer. 

Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer occurring in young women (15-44 years) in Europe).  Almost all cases of cervical cancer are associated with HPV infection.  In the UK there are about 2,900 cases of cervical cancer per year and over 900 deaths.  Most cases of cervical cancer are in women aged under 45 with a peak incidence in women between the ages of 30 and 40 years.  A lifetime risk of cervical cancer has been estimated as 1 in 136 women in the UK.

Genital warts
Most genital warts are caused by HPV although the types that cause genital warts cannot go on to cause cancer. Rates of newly diagnosed genital warts in the UK are highest among men aged 20-24 years and among women aged 16-19 years.

How do you catch HPV?
HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and is transmitted through genital skin-to-skin contact.  Sexual intercourse is not necessary, but condoms can provide partial protection against HPV.  Men can also carry the HPV virus and some HPV types can cause cancer in men.
 
Can infection with HPV be prevented?
In the UK, we are fortunate to have a successful screening programme which has greatly reduced the number of women dying from cervical cancer.7 Cervical screening (the smear test) picks up abnormal cell changes in the cervix that can lead to cervical cancer if left untreated.

Vaccines that prevent HPV infection are now available.  In clinical trials, the vaccines have been shown to be highly effective at preventing pre-cancerous lesions associated with HPV types 16 and 18, which cause over 70% of cervical cancer. However, it will still be important for women to attend cervical screening even if vaccinated.   One of the vaccines also protects against genital warts.

In 2008, the government started a schools vaccination programme to vaccinate all girls and young women between the ages of 12 and 18. 

UK Vaccination Programme
The objective of the HPV immunisation programme is to provide three doses of HPV vaccine to girls before they reach an age when the risk of HPV infection increases and they are at subsequent risk of cervical cancer.

The schools programme began at the start of the 2008/09 school year.
 
•    all girls aged 12-13 years are offered the vaccine
•    a three-dose course of HPV vaccination is administered over about six months

A two-year catch-up campaign also started at the beginning of the 2008/09 school year for all girls aged 13-18.
 
Further details of the schools programme are available from the NHS Immunisation website www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/HPV

To find out more
NHS Immunisation website
www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/HPV

Cancer Research UK
www.cancerhelp.org.uk

Cervical Screening (NHS)
www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical

Jo’s Trust
http://www.jotrust.co.uk

UK VACCINE INDUSTRY GROUP