Overview
- Nationwide incidence fell from 5.1 to 3.7 per 100,000 among women aged 20 to 31 when comparing pre-vaccine years to the vaccination era, according to a new JNCI analysis.
- Washington, D.C., Rhode Island, Michigan and Hawaii recorded reductions greater than 50%, while Vermont, West Virginia, Idaho, Arkansas and Alabama saw little or no change.
- Across states, each 10% increase in HPV vaccination coverage was associated with an 11.5% lower relative risk after adjusting for screening rates.
- The study assessed 22,686 cases from the United States Cancer Statistics database and notes it cannot prove causality, calling for more granular policy and implementation research.
- The American Cancer Society projects about 13,490 new cases and 4,200 deaths in 2026, and researchers highlight school-entry vaccine requirements as a lever, with lenient exemptions in Virginia cited as a possible drag on impact.