자궁경부암과 HPV백신

Abstract

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women worldwide. Cervical cancer is caused by persistent infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). The most common oncogenic HPV genotypes are 16 and 18, causing approximately 70% of all cervical cancers. Recently, two HPV vaccines, quadrivalent (HPV 6, 11, 16, 18) and bivalent (HPV 16, 18) vaccines, have been licensed and are now marketed in Korea. HPV vaccines are prepared from virus-like particles (VLPs) produced by recombinant technology. Clinical trials have confirmed that both vaccines have high efficiency against persistent infection of HPV 16 or 18 and moderate to severe precancerous lesions. In women who have no evidence of past or current infection with the HPV genotypes in the vaccine, both vaccines show > 90% protection against persistent HPV infection for up to 5 years after vaccination. In addition, vaccine efficacy against precancerous lesions associated with HPV 16/18 was reported to be 100%. Although most clinical trials to date have investigated the effectiveness of HPV vaccines in young females, elderly females and males may also be candidates for HPV vaccines. Since HPV vaccines are prophylactic, the largest impact of vaccination is expected to result from high coverage of young adolescents before exposure to HPV. Cervical cancer screening will still be required, even after HPV vaccines are introduced, although the screening program may need to be adapted to achieve cost-effective reductions in the burden of cervical cancer prevention strategies.