People vaccinated against human papillomavirus between the ages of nine and 26 were 68 percent less likely to be diagnosed with head or neck cancer than a comparison group vaccinated against other diseases, according to an analysis of 1.4 million medical records published this week in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.
The age window in the finding is the same one pediatricians already discuss with parents, which is what makes this useful at a kitchen table rather than only in a conference session. Routine HPV vaccination is recommended at ages 11 to 12 and can start at age 9, with catch-up doses recommended through age 26.
