Cervical cancer screening rate differs by HPV vaccination status: An interim analysis

Abstract

Background: The incidence of cervical cancer has been increasing, especially in younger generation, in Japan. The females born between 1994 and 1999, who achieved rates of HPV vaccination approaching 70%, have become the target of cervical cancer screening programs. Here, we have analyzed the cervical cancer screening rates among the vaccinated and unvaccinated women.

Methods: The survey data for cervical cancer screening at age 20 in FY 2015 was derived from two cities, Toyonaka and Iwaki.

Results: Among 2,727 females, in Toyonaka and Iwaki, who were born in FY 1995 and targeted in FY 2015 at age 20 for cervical cancer screening, their HPV vaccination rate was 64.2% (1,753/2,727). The screening rate was 6.4% (112/1,753) in the vaccinated and 3.9% (38/974) in the unvaccinated. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01).

Conclusions: We have demonstrated that HPV-vaccinated females tended to be effectively protected from future cervical cancer than the unvaccinated.

Keywords: Cervical cancer; HPV vaccine; Screening rate; Vaccination status.