More Evidence Shows Hpv Shot Helps Prevent Cervical Cancer: Cdc Report

HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that affects both females and males and is linked to higher risks of various forms of cancer. SrdjanPav/Getty Images

• A recent CDC report builds on existing evidence showing the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine for preventing cervical cancer.
• While HPV is commonly associated with females, it also affects males who transmit the disease and may face increased cancer risks.
• Both young males and females should be vaccinated against HPV to prevent various cancer types, starting around age 11 or 12 in most cases.

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reasserts the HPV vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing cervical cancer in young females.

The February 27 report builds on existing evidence supporting the immunization against HPV, or human papillomavirus, which is commonly spread through sexual activity.

From 2008 to 2022, cervical cancer screenings showed an 80% decrease in rates of precancerous lesions among females ages 20 to 24, the report found. 

While many HPV cases cause little to no symptoms and resolve without intervention, some may lead to cervical cancer in females and other forms of cancer in males. 

The CDC estimates around 37,800 cancer cases are caused by HPV each year in the United States. Cervical cancer continues to be a leading cause of cancer death among females in many countries.

Most health experts advise the HPV vaccine for young females to safeguard against cervical cancer. The shot is also recommended for young males who carry and transmit the disease and face other cancer risks.

The current standard clashes with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has said the HPV vaccine is “dangerous.” 

“There is a general lack of awareness of HPV as a long-term cancer risk factor and misperceptions of how the infection is spread,” said Electra Paskett, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. Paskett wasn’t involved in the CDC report. 

“This puts a lot of people at unnecessary risk, and the HPV vaccine is a way to reduce long-term cancer risk,” she told Healthline.

HPV vaccination prevents 90% of cervical cancers

The CDC estimates that HPV affects around 42 million adults in the U.S.

Vaccination against HPV could prevent 90% of cervical cancers, but not all children and young adults get vaccinated against this sexually transmitted infection.

Recent CDC data show that 76.8% of adolescents received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine, and 61.4% are considered up to date with their shots.

Since 2006, the HPV vaccine has been recommended for young females ages 11 or 12 but may be available for some children as early as age 9. The same recommendation for young males followed in 2011. 

Older adolescents and females up to age 26 may receive the shot if they had not been previously vaccinated against HPV. Some adults may qualify for the vaccine up to age 45.

Paskett explained the vaccine is most effective if administered before potential exposures can occur through sexual contact (i.e., saliva or ejaculatory fluids). 

“Vaccination in adulthood should be a shared decision making conversation between the individual and [their] primary care physician,” Pasket said. 

“The vaccine… is a powerful tool for cancer prevention that has only been available to us in the past few decades. We are seeing the impact of those vaccines now through the scientific data,” she noted.

Common misconceptions about HPV

Most adults — males and females — will be exposed to HPV at some point in their lifetimes.

Still, a common misconception about HPV is that it only affects women, and therefore, only females need to be vaccinated, Paskett said. 

“Contrary to the public’s perception that HPV is only liked to cervical cancer, the virus is also linked to rising rates of base of tongue [and] throat cancer, [and] penile and anal cancers,” she said. 

“It takes two to spread the disease. There is a test to screen for HPV as part of the annual women’s health screening, but it is not available to boys and men. If a person is not aware of their HPV status, they could unknowingly spread the virus to their partner.”  

Paskett explained that the body’s natural immune system “sheds” the virus in most cases. Higher-risk HPV strains, however, can live silently in the body for many years without symptoms, which could lead to cancer later in life, she said.

“Many people believe that high risk HPV has symptoms when, in reality, the virus often does not cause symptoms until it has developed into cancer,” Paskett said. 

“There are thousands of strains of HPV — high risk HPV strains are the type linked to cancer. These are not the HPV strains that cause cold sores or genital herpes,” she explained.  

Screening guidelines for cervical cancer

In the U.S., where regular screening for cervical cancer is a common practice, mortality rates have decreased by 70% since the 1950s. 

In December 2024, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (UPSTF) released a new recommendation using three screening methods for cervical cancer to help detect early signs of the disease. These include:

• HPV tests
• pap tests (cytology)
• co-testing (Pap and HPV)

Starting at age 30, UPSTF now recommends self-collected HPV tests for cervical cancer screening.

According to UPSTF, self-collection methods are just as effective as those obtained by a clinician, which could further increase cervical cancer screening rates.

Takeaway

A recent CDC report further demonstrates the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine against cervical cancer.

HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that affects both females and males and is linked to higher risks of various forms of cancer.

Young males and females should receive the HPV vaccine beginning at age 11 or 12.