New Brunswick, N.J., August 14, 2023 –The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for more than 90 percent of anal and cervical cancers, about 70 percent of vaginal and vulvar cancers, and 60 percent of penile cancers. Cervical cancer is the most common HPV-related cancer in women and oropharyngeal cancer the most common in men. Most of these cancers can be prevented with the HPV vaccine.
Ruth D. Stephenson, DO, FACOG, is a gynecologic oncologist in the Gynecologic Oncology Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s leading cancer center and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center together with RWJBarnabas Health. Dr. Stephenson sees patients at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset.
“People often think that because their children aren’t sexually active, they don’t feel a need to vaccinate,” notes Dr. Stephenson. “While it may be uncomfortable to think about your child becoming sexually active one day, it is best to vaccinate them against HPV, because there is no guarantee that his/her future sexual partner will be vaccinated against the virus. Parents should know that the HPV vaccine is safe and effective, and is recommended for preteen boys and girls to protect them before they’re exposed to the virus. Education about diseases that can be prevented through vaccines and talking about HPV vaccination for cancer prevention is extremely important.”
National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages. Dr. Stephenson is available to comment on the importance of HPV vaccination for cancer prevention.
RSS