What if cancer was preventable? What if thousands of lives could be saved? While not the case for all, some forms of cancer can be prevented. The vaccine that protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV) accomplishes this feat, yet many still do not receive the vaccine. In fact, according to a study performed in 2016, 61% of health care professionals stated that the most commonly refused or rescheduled vaccine was the Gardasil vaccine, which is the name for the vaccine that protects against HPV (Medscape; “HPV Vaccine: Should girls”). Why is this, especially since no cure has been found for HPV (U.S. FDA)? Many opponents of the vaccine have claimed that the vaccine has serious side effects, is not effective against HPV, and gives children
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In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that each year the virus causes approximately 19,000 cancer cases in women and 9,000 cancer cases in men (McCathy). These cancers can affect multiple parts of the body, such as the cervix, anus, vulva, vagina, penis, and throat (Laberge; “Very few U.S.”). These cancers, especially cervical cancer, can be severe, even deadly, and often hard to detect. For example, “According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), every year in the United States, approximately 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and about 4,000 die from it. Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women around the world” (Laberge). Although the death rate of cervical cancer has declined dramatically since 1955 due to the Papanicolaou test, Pap test for short, even when caught early cervical cancer has a 93% percent survival rate of only 5 years (McCathy). Other cancers can be caused by this disease, as previously stated, but this is one of the most deadly. Other health problems caused by HPV include, but are not limited to, “warts on the soles of the feet (plantar warts), common warts on the hands, and flat warts on the face or legs”, as well as “genital warts” (Maltzman). These health problems can occur in both men and
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that each year the virus causes approximately 19,000 cancer cases in women and 9,000 cancer cases in men (McCathy). These cancers can affect multiple parts of the body, such as the cervix, anus, vulva, vagina, penis, and throat (Laberge; “Very few U.S.”). These cancers, especially cervical cancer, can be severe, even deadly, and often hard to detect. For example, “According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), every year in the United States, approximately 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and about 4,000 die from it. Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women around the world” (Laberge). Although the death rate of cervical cancer has declined dramatically since 1955 due to the Papanicolaou test, Pap test for short, even when caught early cervical cancer has a 93% percent survival rate of only 5 years (McCathy). Other cancers can be caused by this disease, as previously stated, but this is one of the most deadly. Other health problems caused by HPV include, but are not limited to, “warts on the soles of the feet (plantar warts), common warts on the hands, and flat warts on the face or legs”, as well as “genital warts” (Maltzman). These health problems can occur in both men and