Early HPV vaccination prevents cancer
The human papillomavirus聽is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the country. It is so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives.
In most cases, the body fights off HPV naturally and eventually the virus is cleared. However, when the body cannot fight off HPV, the virus can persist and also can trigger cellular changes that may lead to cancer.
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HPV has most been linked to cervical, anus and skin cancers; recent studies suggest the same strain of HPV can also cause oropharyngeal (head and neck) cancer.聽Oropharyngeal cancer develops in the part of the throat including the back of the tongue, back part of the roof of the mouth, the tonsils, and the side and back wall of the throat.
As a result of the rise in head and neck cancers, the American Cancer Society has endorsed the U.S. government鈥檚 vaccination recommendations, which include immunizing all preteens against HPV. In a new report, the cancer society says 11- and 12-year-old girls and boys should be vaccinated to guard against cancers associated with HPV. This is in line with updated guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The HPV vaccination has the potential to prevent tens of thousands of cancers and hundreds of thousands of pre-cancers each year. But there is still a stigma with this vaccination, with many parents and providers not wanting to make this vaccination a mandatory part of their聽child's routine care.
By having an open and frank discussion, a life could be saved. Talk to your provider today about these new guidelines and getting your child vaccinated.聽By choosing to vaccinate your children against HPV, you are taking a major step to help prevent these deadly diseases.
Nadir Ahmad is head of Cooper University Health Care's聽division of otolaryngology 鈥斅爃ead and neck surgery, and director of the聽head and neck cancer program.