The HPV Vaccine and Cervical Cancer
Vaccination
There are vaccines that can help protect children and young adults from some HPV infections.
These vaccines are used to prevent cancer that can result from an HPV infection.
They will not treat or protect against cancer from an existing HPV infection.
Children between 9 and 12 should be offered HPV vaccination.
Those aged between 13 and 26 who have not been vaccinated or did not receive a full course of injections should also be recommended to get the vaccine as soon as possible.
HPV can cause:
- Cervical, vaginal and vulval cancers in women.
- Throat cancers in men and women.
- Penile cancer in men.
- Anal cancer in men and women.
The virus is so common that it will infect most people at some point in their lives – eight out of ten people will get HPV at some point in their lives.
Most infected people do not even know they have it.
Most HPV infections go away on their own without lasting health problems. However, there is no way to know which infections will turn into cancer.
It is important here to vaccinate.