Kentucky leads nation in HPV related cancers
BOWLING GREEN, Ky.-Physicians and community members in Bowling Green want to raise awareness about a vaccine which they say can prevent six different kinds of cancer. It’s called the Human Papillomavirus Virus vaccine.
On Wednesday, an HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable took place at the Medical Center’s WKU Health Sciences Complex.
The goal of the discussion was to brainstorm ways to close the immunization gap in Kentucky.
In Warren County only about 40% of people are being vaccinated for the virus.
Meanwhile, according to a representative with the American Cancer Society, Kentucky leads the nation when it comes to the number of HPV related cancers.
“Time and time again it falls back to, if we have a vaccination that can prevent cancer that’s what we need to be doing. We know that the vaccination is most effective when it’s given to middle schoolers age 9 to 12,” said Ellen Schroeder, health systems manager for hospitals at the American Cancer Society.
The HPV vaccine requires a series of shots, and Schroeder said it’s very important to complete the entire series in order for the vaccine to do its job.
