April 24-30 is National Papillomavirus Week. By the start of the next school year, widespread vaccination will be launched in colleges for 5th graders. With this announcement, the Lot Cancer League intends to mobilize once more on this subject.
“We are almost automatically affected by the papillomavirus at the beginning of our sexual life. In 90% of cases, our immune system overcomes it. In the remaining 10%, the virus persists and can create cancerous lesions”, indicates Dr. Yves Botreau, vice-president of the League once morest cancer in the Lot. HPV infection is sexually transmitted. On average, in France, it causes more than 6,000 cancers per year.
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These types of cancer were a subject that the Lot League had somewhat left aside. But that, until the government announcement a few weeks ago. The government wants to set up a generalized vaccination campaign in colleges for 5th graders who want it by the start of the next school year. As such, the League will take this subject in hand and do what it does best: prevention. “We can create tools to inform, educate and raise awareness for parents and children. Our team of volunteers is ready to partner with schools on this, as they are on other causes,” says Dr. Yves Botreau. Especially since April 24 to 30 is European HPV Vaccination Week.
“Not terrible” vaccination coverage in France
In women, cancerous lesions linked to HPV can lead to cancer of the cervix. These are 3,000 new cases per year, of which 1,500 are fatal. But also cancers of the vagina, vulva and anus. And in men, it mainly causes cancer of the anus and more rarely of the penis. HPV can also lead to ENT cancers (especially in cases of oral-genital contact), both in men and women. “Men are a quarter of the population affected by these diseases, the rest being women”, indicates the vice-president of the Departmental League once morest cancer.
The interest of the vaccine to prevent the infection from developing into cancer is therefore important. The recommendations are as follows: “you must vaccinate from the start of sexual life, even before the first reports. This is why for girls and boys between 11 and 14 years old, the vaccine is recommended. At this stage, it takes two doses 6 months apart”, develops Dr. Botreau. It is possible to catch up until the age of 19, especially for girls, and this time with 3 doses. “For homosexual men, it is also possible to be vaccinated up to the age of 26 with 3 doses”, continues the Doctor.
In France, vaccination coverage is “not terrible”, in the words of the vice-president of the Departmental League once morest Cancer. “In 2022, 40% of girls aged between 16 and 18 were vaccinated but did not have the booster. Boys are only 10% to be vaccinated”, sighs the Doctor. But that is not enough. To be effective, vaccination coverage must be greater than 60% of the population at risk. In the future, the Lot Cancer League will be more present on the subject of the papillomavirus to carry out prevention, encourage vaccination and screening. Because according to the World Health Organization (WHO), thanks to these gestures, these types of cancers would be completely eliminable.
