Cervical cancer deaths among women under 25 have significantly decreased, with researchers at the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center attributing this decline to the widespread use of the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine. According to a recent study published in JAMA, cervical cancer mortality in this age group has dropped by an impressive 62% over the past decade.
“This remarkable reduction in cervical cancer deaths is likely a direct result of HPV vaccination,” said Dr. Ashish Deshmukh, senior author of the study and co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. “No other factor seems to explain this substantial decline.”
HPV, a virus responsible for nearly all cervical cancer cases, is the main focus of the vaccine, which was introduced in 2006. Since its launch, the HPV vaccine has been shown to reduce HPV infections, prevent precancerous conditions, and, as recent studies reveal, significantly decrease cervical cancer deaths. Initially, the vaccine was designed for adolescents, but over time, its eligibility has expanded to include some adults up to the age of 45.
Although cervical cancer is relatively rare among women under 25, examining mortality rates in this demographic offers an early indication of the vaccine’s effectiveness. For instance, women who were 25 years old in 2021 would have been eligible for vaccination at age 10, shortly after the program’s initiation. Researchers analyzed data in three-year intervals, noting that in the 1990s, cervical cancer deaths in women under 25 consistently ranged between 50 and 60 per three-year period. By the 2019–2021 period, this number had plummeted to just 13 deaths nationwide.
Despite the positive findings, there remain concerns about HPV vaccination uptake. The Healthy People 2030 initiative aims for an 80% vaccination rate among adolescents, but current CDC data reveals that only around 60% of U.S. children aged 13 to 15 have received the recommended doses of the vaccine. This indicates that while progress has been made, efforts to increase vaccination rates are still necessary to further reduce cervical cancer mortality.
The HPV vaccine is a crucial tool in cancer prevention, and continued efforts to raise awareness and improve vaccination rates will play a pivotal role in reducing cervical cancer cases and deaths even further.