Progress and challenges on HPV vaccination

Abstract

In developed countries including Japan, cervical cancer tends to affect younger woman who may be responsible for young children. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in the world. Therefore, the social consequences of the disease can be still tremendous. For cervical cancer prevention, vaccination programs against the two major cancer-causing types (HPV-16/18) started in the world. There are two licensed HPV vaccines; Gardasil (HPV-6/11/16/18) and Cervarix (HPV-16/18). Clinical trials have shown that these vaccines are almost 100% effective in preventing high-grade precancer associated with the HPV types and that these vaccines are safe, well tolerated and highly immunogenic. In 26 countries, universal vaccination of females between 9 and 15 years is recommended and 65-100% of the cost of the vaccine is paid for by the state. We all look with eager anticipation towards the prospects of HPV vaccines and the perspective of eradicating cervical cancer in the not too distant future.