Most people have no idea that one of our regular vaccines literally prevents cancer. When I found that out, I was pretty surprised.
It’s the HPV vaccine. The CDC says it can prevent more than 90% of the cancers caused by HPV, and it protects against about six different types of cancer. A study in Sweden (reported by the National Cancer Institute) found that girls vaccinated before age 17 had almost 90% lower risk of cervical cancer. Doctors basically describe HPV vaccination as cancer prevention, full stop.
After watching cancer take someone in my family, the idea that a single shot can stop certain cancers before they ever start feels almost unreal. That’s prevention at its absolute best, getting ahead of the disease by years.
The global health challenge is making sure everyone can actually get it, not just kids in wealthy areas. A cancer-preventing vaccine only helps if it reaches people. But the science itself is one of the most hopeful things I’ve come across writing this blog.
The Global Pulse 