A Landmark Achievement in Scotland: Zero Cervical Cancer Cases Owing to HPV Vaccination and Cervical Screening

A recent study released by Public Health Scotland (PHS) found that fully vaccinated women who received their first dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at the age of 12 to 13 showed no cases of cervical cancer¹.

HPV vaccination forms part of a nationwide vaccination programme that originally started in Scotland in 2008, and is routinely offered to all boys and girls aged between 12 and 13 to help protect them from the potential negative health effects of HPV infection later in life, including HPV-related cancers, such as head, neck, and anogenital cancers, as well as genital warts.  

Cervical cancer, a type of cancer that affects the cervix – the connecting part between the vagina and the uterus, is the world’s fourth most common cancer in women and people with a cervix. In the UK, approximately 9 new cervical cancer cases are diagnosed every day, and it is responsible for around 850 deaths per year. Cervical cancer is the most well-known HPV-related cancer because it is almost always caused by HPV infection, which is found in the vast majority of cases (99.8% to be precise)².

Globally, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). It is spread mainly through close skin-to-skin contact of the genital area, as well as during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Despite HPV infection affecting around 8 out of 10 people at some point in their lives, most individuals do not experience any symptoms. Also, the body’s immune system will usually clear the infection after some time without the affected person ever being aware that they had been infected with HPV in the first place. However, certain types of HPV (classed as high risk) can occasionally cause persistent infections, which may result in abnormal cell changes in the cervix that could eventually develop into cancer³.

As the main cause of cervical cancer, preventative measures with HPV vaccination and cervical screening play a vital role in the protection against HPV infection and are highly effective in the prevention of cervical cancer. However, the protection that the HPV vaccine provides alone is in fact not complete. This is because the latest vaccine does not cover all the HPV types that can cause the development of cancer.

Therefore, it is crucial that individuals who are eligible also undergo regular cervical screening for an additional and more effective preventative measure against cervical cancer. This is because cervical screening enables the early detection of HPV infections and cell changes, which means that treatment can be given early before cervical cancer has the chance to develop.

In short, the recent study by Public Health Scotland (PHS) is great news and demonstrates their successful strategy in preventing cervical cancer. This success serves as solid proof of the combined preventative power of both HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening in the effective fight against cervical cancer and makes the idea of living in a world without cervical cancer a very real possibility.

10zyme: Advancing women’s health

We’re developing a groundbreaking self-test with instant results to detect the main cause of cervical cancer: high-risk HPV. Detecting infections early prevents cancer ever developing.

By enabling self-testing, we aim to empower women, overcome stigma and anxiety, and help eliminate a disease killing hundreds of thousands a year globally. See our Education Section to find out more.Please follow and support us on social media: LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

References:

1. Public Health Scotland (PHS). (2024). No cervical cancer cases detected in vaccinated women following HPV immunisation. (Online). Available at: https://publichealthscotland.scot/news/2024/january/no-cervical-cancer-cases-detected-in-vaccinated-women-following-hpv-immunisation/ [Accessed 10/02/2024]
2. Cancer Research UK (CRUK). (2015-2019). Cervical cancer statistics. (Online). Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/cervical-cancer [Accessed 10/02/2024]
3. National Health Service (NHS). (2022). Human papillomavirus (HPV). (Online). Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/human-papilloma-virus-hpv/ [Accessed 10/02/2024]