Efficacy of the human papillomavirus vaccine against HPV infection in the pharynx?

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K10640
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58030:Hygiene and public health-related: excluding laboratory approach
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Sekine Masayuki 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 准教授 (70345502)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 榎本 隆之 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 特任教授 (90283754)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: HPVワクチン / 中咽頭癌 / HPV感染

Outline of Final Research Achievements

HPV genotyping tests were performed on healthy men and women in their 20s in Niigata City using gargle fluid, and at the same time, questionnaires on sexual activity and vaccination status were administered.
Due to the spread of COVID-19 infection, study enrollment did not proceed as planned, with only 295 cases enrolled in the study. The total number of enrollees was 268 (90.9%) women and 27 (9.1%) men. Of these, 128 (43.4%) responded to the questionnaire. Analysis of HPV genotyping tests using gargle fluid showed no HPV infection in all 295 cases. These results suggest that the oral HPV infection rate among Japanese in their 20s is lower than that in Western countries.

Free Research Field

腫瘍学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本邦では、健常者の咽頭（口腔）におけるハイリスクHPV感染率の大規模な疫学データがなく、HPVワクチンの有効性も示されていない。子宮頸癌と同様に、中咽頭癌に対する一次予防を提案するとともに、国が定める定期接種ワクチンの一つでありながら接種率が激減しているHPVワクチンの接種勧奨に向けて、科学的データを示すことができれば本邦における公衆衛生の施策に大きく貢献できる。本研究のゴールは、「急増しているHPV関連中咽頭癌に対してもHPVワクチンの予防効果が期待できることを実証する」ことである。