2023-10-30 08:41:56
Many well-known faces, like Collien Ulmen-Fernandes, are committed to HPV prevention.
© DECIDED. Against cancer
Have you ever heard of HP viruses? 85-90% of all people become infected with them during their lifetime. The infection often clears up within one to two years without any health problems. However, if it persists for a long time, certain precancerous lesions or types of cancer can develop. An HPV vaccination can prevent certain types of HPV-related cancer. On the occasion of World Girls’ Day in October, we are working with the “DECISION. Against Cancer” draws attention to HPV and the urgency of prevention in children and adolescents.
On the occasion of World Girls’ Day on October 11, 2023, the initiative “DECISION. Against Cancer” draws attention to early HPV prevention in children and adolescents. The initiative receives support from strong, prominent personalities and influencers such as mother, actress and presenter Collien Ulmen-Fernandes, entrepreneur and actress Anne-Sophie Briest together with daughter Faye Montana, mother and writer Mirna Funk and many others. They report on their own experiences with HPV, the risks of infection and options for prevention. Because the topic is omnipresent in Germany: around 7,850 women and men in Germany develop HPV-related tumors every year.
Although the HPV vaccination is a standard vaccination for children in Germany (such as once morest mumps, measles and tetanus), the HPV vaccination rate in Germany is very low. Other industrialized countries (such as Sweden, Portugal, Norway and Australia) have a vaccination rate of around 80 to over 90% for 15-year-old girls to be fully vaccinated. In 2020, the rate of full vaccination among 15-year-old girls in Germany was 51% and only 17% among boys of the same age.
Parents and their children usually have little or even incorrect knowledge regarding HPV. “I have found that many people don’t know regarding it until HPV first appears in their own family – unfortunately that was the case with us too – and I dealt with it in that context for the first time,” says Collien Ulmen -Fernandes. “Through conversations with friends, I discovered that there is almost no awareness at all regarding the topic of HPV and that there is a vaccination. Most people I spoke to are completely unaware of this,” she continues.
Infection with human papilloma viruses, also known as HP viruses or HPV, occurs through tiny, often invisible injuries to the skin or mucous membrane through which the virus can penetrate the body.
There are more than 200 known types of HPV, some of which can cause certain types of cancer.
The nasty thing regarding the infection is that you usually don’t even notice it. Because this often occurs without symptoms. The HPV infection often clears up within one to two years without any health problems.
However, if it persists for a long time, certain precancerous lesions or types of cancer can develop. In addition to cervical cancer, this also includes anal, labia or vaginal cancer. Approximately half of all infection-related cancers in developed countries are related to HPV, and approximately one in 20 cancer diagnoses worldwide are due to HPV.
HPV is usually thought of in women in connection with cervical cancer. It is also true that cervical cancer is a major problem in women, as around 4 women in Germany die from this type of cancer every day. “A friend died of cervical cancer when she was young and that’s why I think it’s particularly important that you get vaccinated when you have the opportunity and that’s why my daughter is also vaccinated,” says actress Ann-Sophie Briest. But it’s not just girls and women who are affected!
Mother and writer Mirna Funk appeals to the responsibility of both genders: “It cannot be that women are the only ones who think regarding the issue of HPV. Men also suffer from infections and I think it’s important that they deal with it more.” Because men and boys should be aware of the HPV-related consequences. They can also develop certain HPV-related cancers, such as anal cancer. Approximately 3 men die every day from HPV-related cancer in Germany. Boys and men can also be carriers of HP viruses.
In order to best prevent certain consequences of HPV infections, the topic should ideally be addressed in children and teenagers. Parents should inform their children regarding the topic at an early stage and organize a visit to the doctor at their family or pediatrician’s practice. In this way, information can be provided and early prevention can be initiated. “When the topic came up in our family, I immediately made an appointment for my daughter. That was actually the very first thing I did,” says Collien Ulmen-Fernandes. The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute recommends HPV vaccination for boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 14. Missed vaccinations can be made up to your 18th birthday. The younger the vaccinated person, the better the immune system responds to the vaccination. The earlier you get vaccinated, the greater the benefit. For girls and boys between the ages of 9 and 17, the HPV vaccination is covered by statutory and usually also by private health insurance companies.
HPV is an incredibly important topic that needs to be talked regarding more. Almost all people become infected with HPV at some point in their lives. An HPV vaccination can prevent certain HPV-related cancers, such as cervical cancer. Ideally, children should be vaccinated between the ages of 9 and 14, as the immune system responds better to the vaccination at this age. You can find out more regarding HPV and the vaccination here https://www.entschiedengegenkrebs.de experience.
Author: myself editorial team
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