British study: Vaccinated young women no longer die of cervical cancer
by Lisa Hornung · UPIJune 18 (UPI) -- Women have nearly zero chance of death from cervical cancer if they were vaccinated against human papilloma virus at age 12 to 13, a new study shows.
The study published Thursday in The Lancet shows deaths in England, where the study was conducted, have fallen sharply since the vaccine became standard in 2008.
Between 2020 and 2024, there were no cervical cancer deaths reported in women ages 20 to 24, which is the first time in history that's happened. The study said that without the vaccine, about 23 deaths would have been expected.
"It's incredible to think that a single jab can almost eliminate a particular type of cancer," Peter Sasieni, the lead researcher at Queen Mary University of London, told the BBC.
"We estimate that since its introduction, HPV vaccination has prevented nearly 200 young women from dying from cervical cancer in England," Sasieni told The Guardian.
Cervical cancer is the 14th most common cancer among British women, with 3,300 people diagnosed per year. It's believed that HPV causes 99% of those cases.
The British Health Security Agency data shows that 76% of girls in England were vaccinated by age 15 in 2024-25. That's well below the 90% that the World Health Organization says is needed to eliminate cervical cancer.
In the United States, it's much lower. The National Cancer Institute said that in 2023, only 57% of adolescents between 13 and 15 were vaccinated against HPV.
"We know the HPV vaccine is extremely effective at stopping cervical cancer before it starts, and for the first time these findings show it is saving lives," said Cancer Research UK's CEO Michelle Mitchell. The organization funded the research and warned that vaccination rates in England are below recommended levels.
Sasieni described the drop in deaths since the vaccine was introduced as the "tip of the iceberg."
"As vaccinated generations grow older, we'll see many more lives saved from cervical cancer," he told the BBC. "New research shows just how vital it is to keep HPV vaccination levels high so more people are protected."
"It's essential that the U.K. Government and health systems urgently address this with targeted action to reach communities where uptake is the lowest," Mitchell said.
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