[Health Tip] 40% of Cervical Cancer Cases Occur in People Under 40... "Preventable with Vaccine"

The number of young cervical cancer patients is continuously increasing. Cervical cancer, which has a vaccine, is the only cancer that can be prevented. With the help of Jeong Young-shin, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital, we explored the symptoms, prevention, and treatment methods.

Professor Youngshin Jung, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital

According to the 2020 cancer registration statistics from the National Cancer Center, the incidence rate of cervical cancer from 2014 to 2018 was 14.2 per 100,000, showing a decline compared to the previous five years (2009?2013, 14.2 per 100,000). However, it still ranks high among female cancers in prevalence. Cervical cancer also occurs frequently among younger age groups; in 2020, among 2,998 cervical cancer cases, patients aged 40 and under accounted for 41.5% (1,247 cases). Professor Jeong Young-shin explained, “The spread of liberal attitudes toward sexual activity has increased the number of people with sexual experience and lowered the age of first sexual intercourse, which may increase the likelihood of exposure to human papillomavirus (HPV), the cause of cervical cancer.”

Although most HPV infections naturally disappear within two years, about 10% of cases persist for more than two years. Early infection may cause vaginal bleeding, and in the middle stages, symptoms such as difficulty urinating and hematuria occur. Weight loss and severe pelvic pain may also accompany the condition.

The difference between cervical cancer and other cancers is that it is the only one with a vaccination available. HPV is identified in 99% of cervical cancer patients, making the virus the main cause. The optimal age for cervical cancer vaccination is 15 to 17 years old. Even if this period has passed, vaccination before the age of 26 can still be effective. Since 2016, Korea has included cervical cancer vaccination in the national essential immunization program, providing free vaccination to 12-year-old female adolescents, so it is advisable to ensure vaccination is received. Males also benefit from vaccination, as it helps prevent genital warts (condyloma acuminata) and penile cancer.

However, women in their 20s and 30s tend to have a low screening rate due to the perception that they are too young to develop cancer. According to the National Health Insurance Service’s cancer screening statistics, the cervical cancer screening rate among women in their 20s is about 20%. The vaccination rate is also relatively low, at 50?60%. Professor Jeong Young-shin emphasized, “The cervical cancer vaccine has been introduced as a national immunization program in 65 countries worldwide and has been safely administered over 200 million times. Rather than hesitating due to vague concerns, it is necessary to prevent cancer through vaccination.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.