Human Papillomavirus and Cervical Cancer: Prevention Strategies and Vaccine Impact

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the central etiological agent of cervical cancer, representing a major global public health problem. Prophylactic vaccination has emerged as the primary preventive strategy. This narrative review synthesizes the available evidence on cervical cancer prevention strategies, focusing on the impact and effectiveness of HPV vaccines, based exclusively on the provided literature. This is a narrative literature review constructed from the analysis and synthesis of seven provided scientific article abstracts, including review studies, systematic reviews, and population-based cohort studies. Persistent infection with high-risk HPV, particularly HPV-16, is causally associated with cervical cancer. Licensed prophylactic vaccines (bivalent, quadrivalent, and nonavalent), based on the L1 protein, are highly immunogenic. Vaccine effectiveness is greatest when administered to young individuals (<20 years), with up to an 86% reduction in cervical cancer risk among those vaccinated before age 17. Vaccination at older ages (20–30 years) has not demonstrated the same immediate protective effect in population-based studies. Challenges remain in achieving global vaccination coverage, especially among vulnerable populations and people living with HIV. Therapeutic vaccines are under development to induce cellular immunity against transformed cells. Early prophylactic HPV vaccination is a highly effective and safe strategy for cervical cancer prevention. Expanding vaccination coverage and developing new formulations are crucial to maximizing the reduction of morbidity and mortality from this neoplasm.