Cervical cancer prevention & the role of human papillomavirus vaccines in India.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a necessary cause of cervical cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths among Indian women. Current screening and prevention programs based on cytology have not been effective in reducing the disease burden. Two vaccines are now available for primary prevention. They generate neutralizing antibodies to HPV capsid protein. The vaccines have been shown to confer nearly 100 percent protection against cervical pre-cancers and genital warts caused by HPV types 16/18 in HPV naïve population with few or no side effects. Though there is some cross-protection, around 30 percent of cervical cancers will not be prevented by the vaccine. Vaccination and screening, which are complementary and synergistic, now constitute the new paradigm for prevention of this disease.