In a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association Oncology, researchers found evidence that HPV
vaccination is reducing the incidence of anal cancer among young adults in
the US.
Researchers
at the University of Texas Medical Branch analyzed data from the US Cancer
Statistics database from 2001 to 2018 to examine anal cancer incidences among
different age groups and determine the potential impact of HPV vaccination.
They found that cancer incidence among young adults 20 to 44 years of age
began to rapidly and significantly decrease within two years after the 2006
release of the HPV vaccine while rates continued to climb among those over age
44. This is consistent with prior studies which found that cervical cancer also
decreased in young adults since vaccine rollout.
“Our findings
highlight the dramatic impact that widespread HPV vaccination could have,”
said Dr. Abbey Berenson, lead author of the study and professor of the
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at UTMB. “This is evidence that the
medical community should continue to encourage HPV vaccination among young
adolescents to protect future generations against anogenital
cancers.”
According to the
2020 National Immunization Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, amongst just over 20,000 teenagers, about 75.1% of teens
had received at least one dose of HPV vaccine and 58.6% were up to date on
HPV vaccination. Females continue to have higher rates of HPV vaccination at
about 61.4% compared to 56% of males. However, vaccination rates
remain well below the 2030 target of 80%.