Human papillomavirus, vaccines, and protection from cervical cancer

Current published data makes clear the relationship between genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer. Although there is an opportunity for screening programs that could obviate the disease, cervical cancer still remains the second most common cancer among women worldwide. The subtypes HPV 16 and 18 affect the anogenital tract mucosal surfaces, and accounts for nearly 70% of all cervical cancers, and 90% or more of anal cancer cases. When the 493,000 new cases of cervical cancer and 274,000 deaths per year are taken into consideration, the importance of treatment and prophylaxis modalities for HPV can clearly be recognized. With the molecular and epidemiological studies that have focused on the oncogenicity and immunobiological structure of HPV, the main strategy is to develop prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. Here, recent data concerning HPV infections and vaccination is discussed.