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Cancer

Winship Cancer Institute Joins Forces to Eliminate HPV Cancers

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University has launched regional and national initiatives to eliminate cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), with a focus on cervical cancer. The institute is supporting the southeastern initiative, "Call to Action: Elimination of HPV Cancers Starting with Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Concern," and a national consensus statement from 62 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers emphasizing the importance of HPV vaccination to prevent cancer.

Key Takeaways:

  • Winship Cancer Institute is supporting regional and national initiatives to eliminate HPV cancers, including cervical cancer, through HPV vaccination and screening.
  • The southeastern initiative, "Call to Action: Elimination of HPV Cancers Starting with Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Concern," aims to improve HPV vaccination rates and reverse declines in cervical cancer screening.
  • A new consensus statement from 62 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers emphasizes the importance of HPV vaccination to prevent cancer, with a target of 80% vaccination coverage among adolescents.
  • Despite nearly two decades of safety data and clear evidence of effectiveness, HPV vaccination coverage in the U.S. remains below the national goal of 80%, with only 63% of adolescents ages 13-17 having completed the HPV vaccination series in 2024.
  • The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers aim to encourage parents and health care providers to prioritize HPV vaccination as a critical cancer prevention measure.
  • Experts say that the goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem is within reach through aligned efforts at the local, regional, national, and global levels.

Statistics:

  • In the U.S., HPV causes an estimated 37,000 new cancer cases each year, including nearly 12,000 cervical cancers.
  • In Georgia, an average of 444 new cervical cancer cases and 142 deaths occur annually.
  • Only 63% of adolescents ages 13-17 had completed the HPV vaccination series in 2024, according to the most recent federal survey.
  • HPV vaccination coverage in the U.S. remains below the national goal of 80%.
  • There are 62 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, including Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, that have endorsed a new consensus statement on HPV vaccination.

Sources:

  • Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers

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