Cervical cancer: one million girls still do not receive the vaccine that prevents this evil

Cervical cancer is one of the main causes of death from neoplasms among women in Peru, along with stomach cancer, according to Globocan 2020.

According to official figures, it is estimated that a woman dies every five hours from this disease in the country. Each year more than 4,000 new cases and more than 1,800 deaths from this disease are recorded.

Specialists believe that early detection, through efficient diagnostic methods, can prevent at least 40% of advanced cases of cervical cancer.

But there is a prevention method that is showing a significant reduction in cases, since it attacks the root of the problem. It is the main cause of cervical cancer. In our country, immunization against this virus is free and is aimed at girls of school age.

El Comercio spoke with Dr. Víctor Palacios, director of Cancer Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health, about the situation of cervical cancer and how to resume the progress in vaccination against HPV that had been achieved before the pandemic.

– What is the situation of cervical cancer in the country after two years of pandemic?

Cervical cancer ranks fifth in incidence [número de casos] and there are 12 new cases every day, and it ranks fifth overall in cancer mortality. The regions of eastern Peru, the Peruvian Amazon, are the ones with the highest mortality rate from cervical cancer.

“The idea is to close the gap in HPV vaccination in the coming months now that face-to-face classes have been reactivated”

– The pandemic also affected the main method of prevention: vaccination against HPV

One of the main methods of prevention is vaccination against HPV in girls from fifth grade, from 9 to 13 years old. So, what had been achieved until 2019 falls steadily due to the effect of the pandemic due to the fact that there are no face-to-face classes. This has caused us to have , since to have a protected girl they must have two doses. That is primary prevention and it has been affected, and the idea is to close the gap in HPV vaccination in the coming months now that face-to-face classes have been reactivated.

– With the pandemic, the HPV vaccination strategy in schools, the main one in this health intervention, was affected. How will lost time be made up?

The idea is to enable some educational centers to be able to have vaccinations.

– There is a significant group of girls who have passed the age to receive the vaccine free of charge during the pandemic. Will they be able to receive the doses?

Yes. What is being considered is that free vaccination be extended up to 15 years of age.

– This would imply more resources and brigades…

The idea is, within the framework of the regulations of the National Cancer Law, to be able to request financing for a health intervention that allows us to close this gap. We are talking about, if we take into account girls from 9 to 13 years old. This is an important group of girls who have not been vaccinated.

– What should be the key message to motivate vaccination?

What vaccination does is cut transmission. We all have a 90% chance that we will get HPV in our lifetime. So, if parents knew that their daughters and sons have a 90% chance of getting HPV, they would agree to vaccinate them. If the probability is very high of catching this virus that can cause cancer and I have the possibility of accessing a vaccine to protect myself, then the best alternative is vaccination.

– And there is sufficient evidence showing the effectiveness of this strategy in other countries…

Of course. The efficacy of the vaccine is 90%. There are countries like Australia, for example, that vaccinate boys and girls and have eradicated genital warts in adolescents and. The impact is huge. But the effect is not seen now, but in 15 years or more.

This is a recombinant DNA vaccine, which has a protein similar to the virus coat, the body detects it and generates immunity. Thus, when the person is in contact with the virus, then he can eliminate it.

– Is it being considered to include children also in free vaccination?

Yes. It is a priority within the framework of the Regulations of the National Cancer Law, which should be approved these days. What is sought is that the vaccination of children against HPV be incorporated into the national vaccination schedule. By having boys and girls vaccinated, you suddenly cut transmission.

“We want parents to make an informed decision.”

– What is the strategy you are developing to sensitize parents?

We are working on a very important communication plan called “Uniting ties”, since the most important decision of a mother in front of her daughter is to allow her to be vaccinated against HPV, because it can change the girl’s life in the future. We want parents to make an informed decision and

– Finally, what is the goal in terms of vaccination against HPV for this year?

Our goal is to have coverage greater than 90% in the first and second doses. And we also want women between the ages of 30 and 49 to have access to molecular detection of HPV through self-sampling.