Why do people still get cervical cancer after being vaccinated?

Cervical cancer often has no symptoms and develops silently. The main culprit is persistent infection with high-risk HPV. HPV vaccination is the most effective way to prevent cervical cancer, but vaccination does not mean that you will not get cervical cancer.

There are three reasons:

1. The vaccine can only play a preventive role. If you have been infected with HPV before vaccination, there is still a chance of causing cervical lesions, so it is recommended to get vaccinated as early as possible, and it is better to get vaccinated before having sexual intercourse.

2. There are more than forty types of HPV associated with human reproductive system diseases, and currently there is no vaccine that can prevent all infections.

3. 6%-10% of cervical squamous cell carcinomas and more than 20% of cervical adenocarcinomas may not be related to HPV infection, and clinical HPV testing is negative.

Because of this, HPV+TCT combined screening has made an important contribution to the early prevention and early detection of cervical lesions and cervical cancer. The following is a guide to cervical cancer screening, which should be done even if you have received the HPV vaccine!

01. How to do TCT****?

TCT is the abbreviation of liquid-based thin-layer cytology. It uses a small brush to obtain cervical exfoliated cells for testing to detect abnormal cervical cells. TCT starts 3 years after the beginning of sexual life or after the age of 21, and is reviewed regularly. Occasionally, there may be a little bleeding during the examination, which is normal and you don't need to be too nervous.

In addition to TCT examination, cervical cancer screening also includes HPV examination and colposcopy examination.

02. How to do HPV test?

①Women over 25 years old can use it in combination with TCT for cervical cancer screening.

②For women aged 21-25, if the TCT test result is abnormal, an HPV test is required.

③ Women over 25 years old can also use HPV testing as the first step in cervical cancer screening. If the result is positive, TCT testing can be further performed.

03. Colposcopy and cervical biopsy

What situations need to be done?

①TCT examination showed ASC-US with HPV positive.

②TCT examination includes ASC-H, LISL (CIN I), HSIL (CIN II/III), AGC and cervical cancer.

③HPV16/18 positive.

If abnormal areas of the cervix are found during colposcopy, a biopsy of the cervical tissue will be performed.

In order to protect our cervix, we should conduct TCT examinations regularly and combine them with HPV examinations. If necessary, we should perform colposcopy and cervical biopsy. After getting the results, we should go to the hospital as soon as possible. Have you learned it?