Experts advocate for immunizing both boys & girls against HPV with increasing incidences of cancer cases in India
Experts have advocated for immunizing both young boys and girls against human papillomavirus (HPV) with latest generation vaccines like Gardasil-9 to address the increasing incidences of cancer cases in India. Gardasil-9 is India’s first gender-neutral HPV vaccine.
The 9-valent HPV vaccine—Gardasil-9—helps in reducing the disease burden and cancers caused by the HPV types contained in the vaccine, among Indian girls and women (9-26 years) and Indian boys (9-15 years). Around 83.2% of invasive cervical cancers attributed to HPVs 16 or 18 alone in India are preventable by the HPV vaccine. Besides cervical cancer, HPV infection has also been implicated in vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, penile cancer, anal cancer, and oropharyngeal cancer (including tonsils and base of tongue).
MSD Pharmaceuticals introduced India’s first gender-neutral HPV vaccine—Gardasil-9 in September 2021.
There are 9 HPV serotypes which contribute to the majority of HPV global disease burden, and some are even more prominent in India. For instance, 98.4% of cervical cancer cases; 95% of vulvar cancer cases; 77% of vaginal cancer cases and 73% of anal cancer cases in India, can be attributed to the 9 HPV serotypes.
HPV is the cause of cervical cancer and other cancerous lesions. India has one of the highest disease burdens of cervical cancer and contributes to 1/5th of the global cervical cancer burden, despite being a preventable form of cancer. It is the second most frequent cancer among women in India between 15 and 44 years of age. It claims 77,348 lives each year in India, while estimates indicate that 123,907 women annually are diagnosed with cervical cancer.
To address the higher incidences, Dr. Mukesh Gupta, gynaecologist and obstetrician, Le Nest Hospital, Mumbai emphasized, “Immunization is the only effective tool to also meet the WHO strategy and target of elimination of cervical cancer by 2030. The strategy outlines three measurable global targets to prevent and treat cervical cancer: By 2030, 90% of girls should be fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by 15 years of age; 70% of women should be screened using a high-performance test by age 35, and again by age 45; 90% of those identified with cervical disease should receive appropriate treatment.”
Dr Gupta further added that our neighbouring country like Bhutan has scaled up immunization by overcoming vaccine hesitancy and included cervical cancer in their national elimination programme.
If the three pillars of elimination are established, India could avert almost 100,000 deaths due to cervical cancer over the next decade, and 10 million deaths over the next century.
India could eliminate cervical cancer by 2063, and halve mortality rates by 2036.
Dr Kenneth Alexander, chief, divisions of infectious diseases, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, USA said, “Countries like Australia, America, Canada, Scotland and the UK among other Western and European countries have realized the need for immunization strategies to overcome vaccine hesitancy towards addressing the disease with 9 valent vaccines like Gardasil- 9.”
Australia is one of the world leaders in cervical cancer prevention; it was the first country to implement the HPV vaccine into national immunization programs and one of the earliest to change national screening programs to HPV-based testing. It is estimated that Australia will eliminate cervical cancer by 2035.
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