Large Literature Review Observes HPV Vaccine Protects Against Cervical Cancer

Researchers examined evidence from 26 previously published randomized, controlled trials of 73,428 women and found that HPV vaccines protect against cervical cancer and are not associated with any serious adverse events.

The studies followed women for up to 8 years, which is not long enough to observe the development of cervical cancer, so they assessed rates of precancer. In women 15 to 25 years who tested negative for HPV before receiving the vaccine, the risk of precancer associated with HPV16 or HPV18 was 164 for every 10,000 unvaccinated women compared with 2 per 10,000 vaccinated women. The vaccines also reduced the risk of any cervical precancer from 287 to 106 for every 10,000 women. In women who tested either positive or negative for HPV, the vaccines reduced their risk of cervical precancer associated with HPV16 or HPV18 from 341 to 157 for every 10,000 women.

In an older cohort—women vaccinated at 25 to 45 years—the effects were smaller: The risk of precancer associated with HPV16 and HPV18 decreased from 145 to 107 for every 10,000 women.

Source: Cochrane Library