HPV Vaccine Slashes Cervical Cancer Deaths to Nearly Zero in Young Women

A major new study has found that young women who receive the HPV vaccine have an extremely low risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30. The HPV vaccine, which stands for human papillomavirus vaccine, has been offered to girls in England since 2008. Since then, the number of deaths from cervical cancer among young women has dropped dramatically. In fact, between 2020 and 2024, there were no recorded deaths from cervical cancer in women aged 20 to 24 in England. Without the vaccine, experts estimate that about 23 deaths would have been expected in that age group during those years.

Professor Peter Sasieni, who led the research at Queen Mary University of London, said it is incredible that a single vaccine can almost eliminate a type of cancer. Cervical cancer is still the 14th most common cancer among women in the UK, with about 3,300 new cases each year. HPV is a virus that spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, and it is responsible for 99 percent of cervical cancer cases. Most HPV infections go away on their own, but some can cause abnormal changes in cells that may lead to cancer years later. The researchers believe that as more people get vaccinated and as vaccinated people get older, the number of deaths from cervical cancer will continue to fall.

Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, called the findings an incredible milestone. However, the organization is concerned that not enough girls are getting the vaccine. In 2024-25, only 76 percent of girls in England had received the vaccine by age 15, which is below the 90 percent recommended by the World Health Organization to eliminate cervical cancer. Michelle Mitchell, the chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said it is essential for the government and health services to take action to reach communities where vaccine rates are low.

Alexandra Legg is one woman who was affected by cervical cancer. She left school just before the HPV vaccine was introduced. In 2021, at age 30, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer just as she was planning her wedding. She had to have surgery to remove lymph nodes, but doctors were able to save part of her cervix, which meant she could still have a baby. Alexandra now has a daughter named Ivy, and she says she will make sure Ivy gets the vaccine when she is old enough. Alexandra believes her life could have been much less difficult if she had been offered the vaccine, and she encourages everyone who is eligible to get it.

Professor Sasieni says the reduction in deaths is just the beginning. As more vaccinated generations grow older, he expects to see even more lives saved. The UK government has promised to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2040, but vaccination rates need to improve to reach that goal. Dr Sharif Ismail from the UK Health Security Agency urged young people who missed the vaccine to come forward.

Boys have also been offered the HPV vaccine since 2019, which helps protect them from other cancers and reduces the risk of spreading the virus to girls. The government is working to increase vaccine uptake, including running catch-up campaigns in community pharmacies. Women aged 25 to 64 are still advised to attend cervical screening tests, even if they have had the vaccine. HPV self-testing kits are also being sent to women who have not yet come forward for screening. The HPV vaccine is making a huge difference, and experts hope that even more people will be protected from cancer in the future.