Three questions about HPV vaccination
Friday, January 18, 2013 - 15:00
in Health & Medicine
In 2009, more than 30,000 people in the U.S. learned they had cancer linked to the human papillomavirus, or HPV. This virus is best known for causing cervical cancer, but it’s also the culprit behind many cancers of the mouth, throat, anus, and genitals. Unlike many forms of cancer, for which we lack the knowledge and tools to prevent, scientists have figured out how to dodge HPV-triggered cancers — by HPV vaccination. Vaccination against HPV thwarts the viruses’ spread, wrecking its ability to jump between people. Wiping out HPV could mean shutting down a big source of cancer cases — more than 3 percent of all diagnoses in the U.S.