HPV vaccine

The incidence and the mortality from the disease have decreased dramatically in developed countries with increased use of cytologic screening and treatment of preinvasive disease. However, in developed countries including Japan, cervical cancer tends to affect younger women who may be responsible for young children. Therefore, the social consequences of the disease can be still tremendous. For cervical cancer prevention, vaccination programs against the two major cancer-causing types (HPV16 and 18) started in the world. We all look with eager anticipation towards the prospects of HPV vaccines and the perspective of eradicating cervical cancer in the not too distant future.