“If we said we had a vaccine for breast cancer, we’d be vaccinating day and night.”
Those are the words of Electra Paskett, an Ohio State University epidemiologist.
Dr. Wilson C. Mertens, who spends much of his time treating head and neck cancers at the Baystate Regional Cancer Program in Springfield, cites Paskett to underscore the fact that a vaccination against the virus causing some of the cancers he treats — as well as cervical, anal and penile cancers — is being received by just 43 percent of the people who could benefit from it. Those potential beneficiaries are people between the ages of 11 and 26.
The vaccine provides protection against the human papilloma virus, or HPV, which is responsible for the most common sexually transmitted infections in the country — infections that can lead to the malignancies.
In order to be protected, individuals need to get vaccinated before being exposed to the virus — in other words, before becoming sexually active. It is recommended that it be administered to youngsters at age 11 or 12.
The trouble is, some people believe that inoculating preteens is tantamount to giving them permission to have sex. Others say why bother, since my child is not sexually active.
As Mertens wrote in a column published Dec. 5 in the Gazette, the focus should be on the vaccine’s cancer-prevention qualities, not the young age at which it is given. Once contracted, the virus cannot be undone. And even if the person does not display symptoms of infection, the virus can persist, and, if left untreated, can lead to the cancers.
It seems like an easy decision to give a child that protection.
Yet in Massachusetts, where the shots are offered free of charge, 2016 statistics from the Department of Public Health show that just 53 percent of the eligible females and 35 percent of males received a full set of vaccinations for HPV. Most states have lower rates.
Surveys have shown that parents do not really understand what this vaccine can do. Some respondents say their doctors have not adequately discussed it with them. Further, the questions about sexual activity can be emotional ones and seem to be blurring the picture.
The vaccine is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians. They advise starting to administer the vaccine at age 11 or 12 when two doses are needed six to 12 months apart. If the child is older than 14, the regimen is three shots. It is recommended that it be administered at the same time children receive the meningococcal and Tdap vaccines, and that doctors stress its cancer- blocking promise.
This makes sense and we hope parents will act on that advice.
The CDC estimates that 90 percent of sexually active men and 80 percent of sexually active women will be infected with at least one type of HPV during their lifetime. The vaccine, received before exposure, has been shown to be effective in preventing infections in both genders and lasts for years.
Mertens says a large part of his clinical practice is treating head and neck cancers. Like all cancers, they are nasty. He points out that bulky tumors can appear in the back of the throat and in the lymph nodes in the neck. They require radiation and chemotherapy which can cause difficulty swallowing and a long recovery period. Though he says they are highly curable, they can leave side effects like dry mouth and swallowing and dental problems. Cervical, anal and penile cancers also are diseases that cause misery, and even death.
The CDC has a goal to vaccinate 80 percent of all eligible adolescents by 2020. Right now, that seems like a very long reach. We hope experts like Mertens and Paskett are heard as they advocate for this important health measure.