A study presented by the Ministry of Health shows that more than half of the young population in Brazil is infected with HPV.

These are data that attract attention: HPV is a virus that can cause various types of cancer, such as that of the cervix, penis, anus, and more recently it has been associated with throat cancer (tonsils and base of the tongue).

Throat cancer is most often associated with smoking and alcoholism. But that has changed in several countries around the world, with HPV being the main causative factor. In some countries in Europe and the USA, throat cancer caused by HPV is already considered an epidemic by some scholars. In Brazil, data show that most of these tumors are still related to tobacco and alcohol.

But that is changing. We currently have several patients with throat cancer caused by HPV even in Brazil.

What about the vaccine? Help? Will it lower the risk of this cancer?
Yes! The HPV vaccine prevents a person from becoming infected with the cancer-causing HPV viruses. If there's no infection — there's no cancer caused by the virus.

And is it effective at preventing infection?
Yes! At the American Oncology Congress this year, a study was presented that evaluated oral infection with the HPV virus after vaccination of young adults. The vaccine showed an efficacy of 88% {46cf1a6c7461ff493d31bdca70d45967bd1ce7048f85e123712b94daa5b61391} in reducing the rate of oral cavity infection in vaccinated individuals.

Brazil has already incorporated the HPV vaccine into the national vaccination schedule. For girls in 2014 and for boys in 2017. However, the adherence rate to the vaccine is still insufficient.

Each of us has to do our part. The question IS CANCER CURABLE? — it should not be answered by doctors alone.

Each one of us has a responsibility to seek a cure for cancer: whether by taking proper care of the patient, researching, adopting healthy lifestyle habits and, FINALLY, VACCINATING AGAINST HPV.

Text prepared by Dr. Aline Chaves — member of LACOG