Head and neck cancer cases have been rising in recent years, and not just in the UK. With the reduction in smoking this trend is surprising and unwelcome. One significant reason is the impact of HPV related cases of head and neck cancer. Oropharyngeal cancer patients in particular show a very high proportion testing positive for HPV.
The extension of the HPV vaccination programme to boys as well as girls will hopefully have an impact and reduce the rising incidence of cancer that we have seen. Though it is early days, research evidence is indicating that the vaccination works well and is giving some protection against cancer. A study in Scotland reported some convincing evidence about cervical cancer. For women born betweenJanuary 1988 and June 1996 data was extracted from the cervical cancer screening programme and linked to cancer registry and immunisation data. No cases were found in women immunised at 12 or 13 years of age, though if vaccinated later more than one dose my be needed for this level of prorection.
For our coalition, the question is will the same benefits be seen in a reduction of head and neck cancer cases? Now some evidence from the USA indicates that it will. Led by experts at the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, the research involved 5.46 million patients, 949,000 of whom had the HPV vaccine between 2006 and 2008. The jab reduced rates of ALL HPV related cancers from 7.5 to 3.4 cases per 100,000 among men and 15.8 to 11.5 cases among women. Specifically there were 2.8 cases of head and neck cancer per 100,000 men who had rceived the jab and 6.3 cases per 100,000 for those who had not.
Vaccination Rates
Success of a vaccination programme depends on there being a high take up. To mark World Head and Neck Cancer Day, NHS England – North West have been advising parents of the importance of their children having the HPV vaccination.