Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that can lead to certain types of cancer later in life. The current HPV vaccine could prevent 92% percent of cancers attributable to HPV.
A new CDC study found that there were 43,999 HPV-associated cancers (cancers in organ sites where HPV often causes cancer) from 2012 through 2016. CDC researchers estimated the annual number of cancers that can potentially be prevented by the current vaccine for the nation and for each state. The current HPV vaccine protects against 92% or 32,100 of the 34,8000 cancers thought to be caused by HPV from 2012 through 2016. In addition to HPV vaccination, cervical cancer screening is routinely recommended for women ages 21-65 regardless of HPV vaccination status.