Leading cancer organizations call for action to boost HPV vaccine coverage

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, along with 61 other National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers, several leading national cancer health organizations and the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, have endorsed a joint statement urging the nation's health care systems, health care providers, parents, caregivers and the public to choose the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for cancer prevention.

Consistent with our commitment to the concept of 'one team, one fight,' Massey continues to align with other NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers to jointly endorse the importance of HPV vaccination. Only a handful of cancers are truly preventable. Six of those preventable cancers are caused by HPV infection. Reducing HPV infection through vaccination will put our country on track to potentially eliminate these cancers."

Kim Rhoads, M.D., M.S., MPH, FACS, associate director of community engagement at Massey and professor of surgery in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery

HPV vaccination is safe and works to prevent six types of cancer (oropharyngeal, cervical, anal, vaginal, vulvar and penile). Recently released National Immunization Survey (NIS)-Teen data show no gains in HPV vaccination over the last few years, indicating an urgent need to ensure children today are protected against HPV-related cancers they may develop later in life. 

Nearly 80 million Americans – one out of every four people – are infected with HPV. Of those millions, more than 40,000 will be diagnosed with HPV-related cancers this year, and hundreds of thousands more with pre-cancers caused by HPV. Despite those staggering figures and the availability of a vaccine to prevent HPV infections, HPV vaccination coverage remains significantly lower than other recommended vaccines for teens in the U.S. 

To ensure protection against HPV-related cancers and move closer to the elimination of these disease types, starting with cervical cancer as a public health concern in the U.S., HPV vaccination is essential.

"Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable," said Jaclyn Wall, M.D., gynecologic oncologist at Massey. "Almost all cervical cancer is driven by HPV, and it can be prevented by the HPV vaccine. The HPV vaccine should be given to adolescents when they're around their early middle school years. Studies have been done that show the eradication of HPV-caused cervical cancers in patients who are adequately vaccinated."

The call to action comes during the back-to-school period, a time during which most children ages nine to 12 are vaccinated against HPV, and also during Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about gynecologic cancers such as cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancer, caused by HPV. Massey and the fellow organizations advocating for HPV vaccination collectively encourage the following actions:

• Health care systems' staff and providers should immediately identify and contact parents and caregivers of age-eligible children who are due for HPV vaccination, and encourage them to complete vaccinations.

• Parents and caregivers should have their age-eligible children vaccinated as soon as possible. A list of recommended vaccines is available on the CDC website and American Academy of Pediatrics website.

• Talk with family members and friends about HPV vaccination. Share the facts about HPV vaccination as cancer prevention.

• Learn more about HPV vaccination from the CDC, American Cancer Society (ACS), ACS National HPV Vaccination Roundtable, and AAP.

Sixty-two NCI-Designated Cancer Centers with leading national organizations and the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center endorse this statement and share the goal of sending a powerful message about the importance of HPV vaccination for the prevention of HPV-related cancers. HPV vaccination is safe, effective and provides long-lasting protection against HPV-related cancers and other conditions associated with HPV. 

List of NCI-Designated Cancer Centers Endorsing Statement

• Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute

• Case Western Reserve University Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

• City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center

• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

• Dartmouth Cancer Center

• Duke Cancer Institute

• Fox Chase Cancer Center

• Fred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children's Cancer Consortium

• Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center

• Jefferson Health Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Masonic Cancer Center

• Mays Cancer Center at The University of Texas San Antonio Health Science Center

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

• Moffitt Cancer Center

• MUSC Hollings Cancer Center

• NYU Langone's Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center

• O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center

• OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

• Purdue Institute for Cancer Research

• Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University

• Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Rutgers Cancer Institute

• Salk Cancer Center

• Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

• Stanford Cancer Institute

• Stephenson Cancer Center

• The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center

• The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute

• The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center

• The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

• The Wistar Institute Cancer Center

• UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

• UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center

• UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

• UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

• UK Markey Cancer Center

• UM Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center

• UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

• University of Arizona Cancer Center

• University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center

• University of Colorado Cancer Center

• University of Hawaii Cancer Center

• University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center

• University of Kansas Cancer Center

• University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

• University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

• University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute

• UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center

• UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

• USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

• UT Southwestern Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

• UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center

• UW Carbone Cancer Center

• VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Wilmot Cancer Institute

• Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

• Yale Cancer Center

List of National Organizations Endorsing Statement

• American Association for Cancer Research

• American Cancer Society

• American Society of Clinical Oncology

• American Society of Preventive Oncology

• Association of American Cancer Institutes

• Cervivor

• Prevent Cancer Foundation

The University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center has also endorsed this statement.