HPV cervical cancer vaccination

There are many malignant tumor diseases, and cervical cancer is also a common gynecological malignant tumor, and its incidence rate is second only to breast cancer. Since HPV infection is the cause of cervical cancer, as long as the source of infection can be blocked, the disease can be effectively prevented. Therefore, cervical vaccination has become an effective measure to prevent cervical cancer.

When is the best time to get vaccinated?

Doctors point out that cervical cancer is one of the cancers whose causes are currently known, and it can also be prevented through vaccines. Because the cervical cancer vaccine is the first barrier to block HPV16 and 18 viruses, it works before women are exposed to HPV viruses. The main transmission routes of HPV are sexual contact and sexual behavior. Therefore, it is ideal for women aged 9-15 who have not had sex to be vaccinated. Women who have sex and are not older than 45 can also be vaccinated with this type of vaccine.

It should be noted that because the impact of the vaccine on pregnant women is still unclear, women who want to become pregnant within six months should avoid vaccination.

How many types of cervical cancer vaccines are there? How many shots are needed?

Cervical cancer vaccine is a type of vaccine that can prevent the mutation of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the human body. The medical community has now confirmed that human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer in women, and 99% of cervical cancers are related to HPV (full name: "human papillomavirus") infection. Due to problems such as vaccine durability and cost-effectiveness, the cervical cancer vaccines that have been successfully developed are mainly quadrivalent vaccines for HPV types 16, 18, 6, and 11 and bivalent vaccines for types 16 and 18.

In 2006, the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil was first launched in the United States. According to netizens who have personally experienced the vaccine in the United States, there are currently two main cervical cancer vaccines in the United States, Cervarix and Gardasil. Cervarix is ​​cheap and can prevent HPV-16 and 18, while Gardasil is more expensive and can also prevent HPV-6 and 11.

Currently, the cervical cancer vaccine is used in 124 countries and regions, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan in China, but in the mainland, the cervical cancer vaccine is still in the clinical trial stage and has not yet been approved. The cervical cancer vaccine in Hong Kong costs about 1,500 Hong Kong dollars per shot, and the cost of three shots ranges from 3,000 to 4,000 yuan.

Can I not get the cervical cancer vaccine if I have sex and am infected with HPV?

If you are over 15, have sex, or are married, do you not qualify for the vaccine? Experts point out that many women are hesitant about the vaccine. “I have sex and have even been diagnosed with HPV. Can I still get the cervical cancer vaccine?”

This type of vaccine is mainly used to prevent HPV infection in future sexual life. People who have had sexual life and even infected with HPV virus (including HPV-16 and HPV-18) can also get cervical cancer vaccine. There is no need to do HPV screening before vaccination. It should be noted that this type of vaccine will not have a therapeutic effect on HPV virus that has already been infected.

In the early stage of cervical cancer, there may be no obvious symptoms or special signs. The earliest symptom is often vaginal bleeding, which often starts with a small amount of contact bleeding. After menopause, there will be intermittent bleeding or an increase in the amount of leucorrhea, which is bloody or purulent. In the late stage, there may be heavy bleeding, cachexia, weight loss, fever, anemia, and symptoms of surrounding compression caused by cancer invasion, such as lower abdominal pain, back pain, frequent urination, urgency, anal swelling, tenesmus, lower limb swelling and pain, sciatica, etc. In severe cases, it can lead to uremia, systemic failure, and life-threatening. Similarly, using a speculum to directly observe the cervix, it is difficult to see abnormalities in the early stage, but when the lesions are obvious, local lesions may be erosions, ulcers, cauliflower-like growths, nodules, cavities, or even endogenous depressions. Diagnostic curettage and pathological examination of the cervical canal can confirm the diagnosis. The metastatic pathways of cervical cancer are mainly direct invasion and lymphatic metastasis, while hematogenous metastasis is rare and often occurs in the late stage.

Stage 0: The cancer cells are still confined to the cervical epithelial area.

Stage 1: Cancer cells are confined to the cervix. From stage 1, cancer has already begun to invade.

Stage II: Cancer cells have invaded the upper two-thirds of the vagina or the connective tissue next to the uterus.

Stage III: Cancer cells have invaded the lower third of the vagina or the pelvic cavity.

Stage IV: Cancer cells have already broken through the reproductive organs, or have gone beyond the pelvic cavity and directly invaded the rectum or bladder, or even caused distant metastasis.