The only cancer in the world that can be prevented by a vaccine! Should men get vaccinated?

Expert of this article: Hu Zhongdong, Chief Physician and Associate Chief Physician of Health Management Center, Changsha Third Hospital

Recently, a university in Sichuan made headlines for booking nearly 8,000 nine-valent vaccines for students.

It is reported that Southwest University of Science and Technology contacted the vaccine manufacturer directly to make centralized appointments for the nine-valent HPV vaccine for female college students on campus, and nearly 8,000 people made appointments in a very short period of time.

How important is the HPV vaccine? Should men get it? Today we will learn about it...

Why should I get the HPV vaccine?

The "Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Cervical Cancer (2021 Edition)" developed by the Gynecological Oncology Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association states:

The incidence of cervical cancer ranks second among malignant tumors of the female reproductive system. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 530,000 new cases each year worldwide, and approximately 250,000 women die from cervical cancer. Among them, the number of women who die from cervical cancer in developing countries accounts for 80% of the global number of women who die from cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer, also known as "cervical cancer", has a high incidence age of 50 to 55 years old, and the incidence has been trending towards younger people in recent years.

The main cause of cervical cancer is persistent infection with high-risk HPV (human papillomavirus):

HPV is a very common group of viruses with more than 100 types. 80% to 90% of women will be infected with HPV in their lifetime. Most of them can be cleared automatically, but persistent infection with high-risk HPV types may cause precancerous lesions, which may progress to cervical cancer if the lesions are not treated.

Research estimates show that approximately 70% of cervical cancers are caused by HPV (types 16 and 18).

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There are three ways HPV is spread:

Sexual contact is the most common way to spread HPV. You may get HPV through vaginal, anal, or oral sexual contact with someone infected with the virus.

Close contact transmission, which is spread through intimate skin contact;

Vertical transmission from mother to child.

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HPV-induced cancer is the only cancer in the world that can be prevented by vaccines. Applicable age in China:

The appropriate age group for the bivalent vaccine is females aged 9-45 years;

The appropriate age group for the quadrivalent vaccine is women aged 20-45 years;

The appropriate age group for the nine-valent vaccine is women aged 16-26.

Of course, there are some specific groups of people who are not suitable for HPV vaccination: those who are allergic to vaccine ingredients, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, people with immune deficiency, people in the acute stage of illness, etc.

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Some people may ask, HPV only affects girls? Do men also need to get the HPV vaccine?

Is HPV only for girls? Do men need to get vaccinated?

In fact, in addition to cervical cancer, HPV is also related to anal cancer, vulvar cancer, vaginal cancer, penile cancer and oropharyngeal cancer. The best way to prevent it is to get the HPV vaccine.

Some European countries also advocate vaccination for men, but there is currently no experimental data on men as a basis in China, and approval for vaccination for men has not yet been obtained.

What symptoms of cervical cancer should we be alert to?

Generally, three major symptoms will appear as the disease progresses: vaginal bleeding, vaginal discharge and late symptoms.

The most common symptom is contact bleeding:

1) Vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse or gynecological examination;

2) Irregular vaginal bleeding after menopause in elderly patients;

3) In the early stage of the disease, bleeding is mostly contact bleeding with a small amount of bleeding.

In the middle stage, it develops into irregular vaginal bleeding, and in the late stage, when the lesions are large, it manifests as heavy bleeding.

The following symptoms may also appear in the late stage:

Different secondary symptoms may appear depending on the extent of tumor involvement, such as frequent urination, urgency, constipation, etc.

If the tumor compresses or involves the ureter, it may cause ureteral obstruction, hydronephrosis, or even uremia.

How to prevent cervical cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS) cervical cancer screening guidelines:

Start cervical cancer screening at age 25 and perform human papillomavirus (HPV) screening every 5 years until age 65 (preferred).

If primary HPV screening is not possible, it is recommended that individuals aged 25-65 years undergo combined HPV+cytology testing every 5 years or cytology alone every 3 years.

Those who are over 65 years old, have no history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) in the past 25 years, and have a negative cervical cancer screening record in the 10 years before the age of 65 can stop cervical cancer screening.

It should be noted that the above guidelines are only for the general population at low risk of cervical cancer, and do not include people infected with HIV, etc. For specific screening recommendations, please consult a specialist.

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Do I need to undergo cervical cancer screening after getting the HPV vaccine?

Vaccine is only the first level of prevention and control, while cervical cancer screening is the second level of prevention and control. They cannot replace each other. It is recommended that married women must undergo regular cervical cancer screening.

Prevention of cervical cancer is better than cure, regular screening is essential!

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