2023-06-05 15:30:00
Around 400 initial diagnoses of cervical cancer are made in Austria every year, around 50 of them in Upper Austria. Numbers that can be drastically reduced with the help of a vaccination, because cervical cancer, like a number of other cancers, is caused by human papilloma viruses (HPV).
OÖ. During their lifetime, 80 to 90 percent of people become infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) without realizing it. Certain types of viruses can lead to infectious, rapidly growing skin changes in the genital area (condylomas/genital warts). Others, so-called “high-risk types”, are responsible for the development of a number of cancers: cancer of the labia, penis and rectum, cancer of the mouth and throat and cervical cancer.
Cancer mutation possible through infection
Most HPV infections go away on their own after a year or two. However, if an infection with a high-risk type persists, this can lead to cell changes and a cancer mutation. Vaccination offers protection against HPV-based cancer:
“Timely vaccination against HPV in childhood or adolescence offers almost 100 percent protection against these diseases,” emphasizes Primarius Univ.-Prof. Lukas Hefler, head of the department for gynecology and obstetrics at the hospital partners Ordensklinikum Linz and Konventhospital Barmherzige Brüder.
Petrol Ribbon Campaign: Increase vaccination coverage
The HPV vaccine is one of the most well-tested vaccines in the world and has been used millions of times. “In addition to some forms of cancer, the vaccination also protects against other HPV-related diseases such as genital warts, which often entail lengthy treatment, and against precancerous stages,” explains Hefler.
To draw attention to this important issue, he initiated the Petrol Ribbon information campaign with the longer-term goal of increasing vaccination coverage:
“This year we want to motivate girls and boys to take part in the Austrian free vaccination campaign again.”
The free HPV vaccination for children is offered in Upper Austria in the fifth grade. The Austrian vaccination plan recommends vaccination for all girls and boys from the age of nine. Up to the age of 21, two doses of the vaccine are needed six months apart, after that three. These vaccinations are offered free of charge in Austria. And: “An HPV vaccination is also recommended for women after a conization up to their 45th birthday.”
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