When is it too late for hpv vaccine
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination and Cervical Cancer
cervical cancer is a serious disease
that affects many women every year it is
largely caused by the human papilloma
virus however unlike many other forms of
cancer cervical cancer can be prevented
by HPV vaccination or when identified
early through regular cervical cancer
screening HPV is a virus that infects
many parts of the body there are many
different subtypes of HPV grouped into
high-risk types and low risk types 70%
of cervical cancer and precancerous
cervical lesions are caused by the
common high-risk HPV subtypes 16 and 18
in most women an HPV infection shows no
symptoms and does not cause any harm
however in a small percentage of women
an HPV infection might cause the
formation of abnormal cells on cervical
tissues this can develop into cervical
cancer if left unchecked over time
recent studies have shown significant
reductions in cervical cancer rates and
women who have undergone the HPV
vaccination that target the HPV subtype
16 and 18 results have been proven to be
more effective when women are vaccinated
at a younger age the HPV vaccination is
safe and is recommended for all girls
aged 9 to 26 years old possible side
effects are generally mild such as
soreness at the site of injection fever
and headache if you encounter any of
these side effects please inform your
doctor immediately
if you'd like to find out more for
yourself or a loved one about HPV
vaccinations please contact the
Singapore Cancer Society your family GP
or the polyclinics early detection saves
lives it's never too early or too late
to protect yourself against HPV and
cervical cancer
