More than fifteen years ago, the first young girls in the Netherlands received the HPV vaccine. Research by the Integrated Cancer Center now shows that the vaccine is effective. Vaccinated women are less likely to have cervical cancer than the group that has not been vaccinated. Gynecologist Caroline Vos also sees this in her consultation room at the Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital in Tilburg.
More than fifty years ago it was discovered that the HPV virus is the cause of cervical cancer. “But also other types of cancer, such as labia cancer, penis cancer, anus cancer and head and neck tumors,” Vos explains. “From that moment on, people started doing research and developing a vaccine.”
It was not immediately clear whether the vaccine was really effective. “The time between the infection with HPV and the development of cervical cancer is many years. This not only means that it takes a long time before you possibly develop cancer, but also that it takes a long time before we can demonstrate whether the vaccination works. So we waited a long time until there was finally proof.”
And according to Vos, the evidence is positive because ‘the vaccine works very well’. “We now have the first data from the girls who received the vaccine at the time. These are now young women and you see that the vaccine has a protective effect.”
Vaccinate the entire world population
Vos would prefer to see more people take the HPV vaccine. “According to calculations from international models, it will be possible to reduce cervical cancer by more than 90 percent if we vaccinate the entire world population.”
On the other hand, she notices that there is also resistance. “Because of uncertainty about the short- and long-term side effects, but also aspects of disinformation. People who think, for example, that there are conspiracies between the government and the industry. Or that the vaccine has other purposes.”
Vos understands that there were doubts in the early days, when hard evidence of the vaccine was still lacking. “But we are now fifteen years later. Nowadays you can say that the vaccine really works.”
According to Vos, it is not only vaccination that is necessary to prevent the various types of cancer. “In addition to vaccination, screening in the population survey with an HPV test and smear is and remains important.”
Impact on the future of young women
Perhaps one of Vos’s most difficult tasks is telling the story of a bad diagnosis. “Cervical cancer affects young women who are in the prime of their lives, who are developing a career and perhaps considering starting a family. And then you have to tell someone like that that she has a very serious disease that we have to treat.”
The disease and operations have many effects. “It can have adverse consequences for the chance of pregnancy. It has a huge impact on the future of young women. If you can prevent that, then we as doctors say that you should do so.”
And that is why the vaccine is not only given to young girls. “We also offer it to boys. The advantage is that the virus actually stops circulating. You also do it for others, not just for yourself.”