Cervical cancer is the 10th most common female cancer in my country, and the main cause of cervical cancer in women is related to infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). The National Health Service of the Ministry of Health and Welfare emphasizes that there is currently no medicine to treat HPV infection. In the face of HPV, “prevention is better than cure”. However, some people still do not understand the HPV vaccine, so let’s clarify it one by one.
According to statistics from the National Health Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 1,436 new cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed in 2020, and 608 women died of cervical cancer in the following year. It is the 10th most common cancer among females in Taiwan. Wu Zhaojun, director of the National Health Administration, pointed out that the HPV vaccine can reduce the incidence of cervical cancer after infection, and at least 2 doses of the vaccine will be protective. Of course, in addition to the vaccine, regular smears are also very important.
What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?
There are currently more than 200 known HPV types. According to the National Health Administration, they are divided into high-risk types and low-risk types according to the risk of cancer. Among them, types 16 and 18 are the most common high-risk HPV types, accounting for more than 70% of cervical cancers. Cancer is caused by HPV types 16 and 18. In fact, there are generally no obvious symptoms after HPV infection. About 90% of the infected people will clear up within 1 year, and if it does not clear up for more than 1 year, it is called “persistent infection”.
Persistent infection will cause subsequent health hazards. Lu Junyi, secretary-general of the Taiwan Vaccine Promotion Association, pointed out that women may cause cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, etc., and the harm to men should not be ignored, leading to genitourinary tract cancer (such as penile cancer), head and neck cancer ( Such as oropharyngeal cancer), anal cancer, etc. are all possible. The National Health Service added that infection with low-risk HPV has a relatively small chance of causing cancer, but it may cause genital warts (commonly known as cauliflower).
Know the HPV Vaccine
Since there is currently no specific drug to treat HPV infection, the effect of the vaccine is on prevention rather than treatment, and it can prevent more than 70% of cervical cancers. At present, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that HPV vaccination services be provided for age groups 9 to 14 years old who are not yet sexually active, and the preventive effect is better, but it takes 2 full doses to produce the corresponding protection.
HPV Vaccine 5 Major QA Watch Once
Huang Jianpei, secretary-general of the Taiwan Obstetrics and Gynecology Association, pointed out that the average age of first sexual intercourse in Taiwan is over 16 years old, so the probability of having sexual experience at the age of 9 to 14 is low, and the chance of contracting the virus is also small, so Getting vaccinated at the right time can build a line of defense before the virus invades the body. Otherwise, if you are infected with HPV virus, the reproductive system will be harmed at the least, and your life will be lost at the worst, but you may also suffer from the pain of infection for a lifetime.
Peng Chunzhi, secretary-general of the Taiwan Pediatric Association, explained that among all conventional vaccines, the side effects of HPV vaccine are relatively safe, but the most common symptoms after vaccination are redness and swelling at the injection site, dizziness, and headache, which are mostly short-term mild to moderate Phenomenon. She reminded that just take it easy and don’t faint when you go for the vaccination. Of course, if you have fever and cold symptoms, you need to delay the vaccination time. She added that not only girls, but boys are also suitable for vaccination between the ages of 9 and 14, but they have to pay for it themselves.
Each price type of vaccine has a protection time limit, such as HPV bivalent vaccine for at least 11 years, quadrivalent vaccine for at least 12 years, and nine-valent vaccine for at least 8 years. Only 2 doses of HPV vaccines will be effective at the age of 9 to 14. But if you start at the age of 15, you may need to take a third dose to enhance protection.
Even for women over the age of 20, or even middle-aged women, Huang Jianpei pointed out that the effect of 3 doses for these ethnic groups is actually equivalent to 2 doses for young girls aged 9 to 14, but it is of course too late if they are 70 or 80 years old. .
Huang Jianpei explained that the American Medical Association has conducted a survey that even if people only have one sexual partner in their life, they may still find HPV virus in their body about 6 times. The worry about giving the vaccine after sex is that you have already been infected with the virus before you have antibodies, and vaccination after infection is not as good as keeping the virus out of the body in the first place.
Since the end of December 2018, the National Health Administration has comprehensively promoted HPV vaccination services for middle school girls. Up to now, the vaccination rate of girls enrolled in junior high schools in 2017 is 77.6%, that of girls enrolled in junior high schools in 2018 has reached 88.1%, that of girls enrolled in junior high schools in 2019 has reached 86.6%, and that of girls enrolled in junior high schools in 2011 has reached 92.0%. The girls who entered school last year are going to get the second dose this year. Parents are reminded that if the girls in the family are eligible, they should encourage their children to receive public vaccinations and build a healthy line of defense.
Ask the Experts:
1. Huang Jianpei, Secretary-General of Taiwan Obstetrics and Gynecology Association, Senior Attending Physician, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mackay Memorial Hospital
2. Peng Chunzhi, Secretary General of Taiwan Pediatric Association and Director of Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital
3. Lu Junyi, Secretary-General of Taiwan Vaccine Promotion Association and Attending Physician of Pediatric Department of National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital
Text/Photo by Chen Weitong/Sun Peiqun
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