Perspectives for preventive and therapeutic HPV vaccines

J Formos Med Assoc. 2010 Jan;109(1):4-24. doi: 10.1016/s0929-6646(10)60017-4.

Abstract

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) has been associated with several human cancers, including cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, vaginal and anal cancer, and a subset of head and neck cancers. Thus effective vaccination against HPV provides an opportunity to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with HPV. The Food and Drug Administration of the United States has approved two preventive vaccines to limit the spread of HPV. However, these are unlikely to impact upon HPV prevalence and cervical cancer rates for many years. Furthermore, preventive vaccines do not exert therapeutic effects on pre-existing HPV infections and HPV-associated lesions. In order to further impact upon the burden of HPV infections worldwide, therapeutic vaccines are being developed. These vaccines aim to generate a cell-mediated immune response to infected cells. This review discusses current preventive and therapeutic HPV vaccines and their future directions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cancer Vaccines / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Papillomavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Papillomavirus Vaccines / administration & dosage*
  • Papillomavirus Vaccines / immunology
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / virology
  • Vaccination / trends*
  • Viral Vaccines / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Papillomavirus Vaccines
  • Viral Vaccines