Recent advances in human papillomavirus vaccines and therapeutic strategies: Combating cervical and non-cervical cancers

TL;DR

This review discusses recent progress in HPV vaccines and therapies to combat cervical and non-cervical cancers, emphasizing the need for combined prevention and treatment strategies.

Contribution

The paper provides an updated overview of new therapeutic strategies and vaccines for HPV-related cancers, highlighting DNA vaccines and immunotherapies.

Findings

Next-generation HPV vaccines aim to protect against a broader range of cancer-causing HPV types.

DNA-based vaccines and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing show promise in early research for treating HPV-related tumors.

Combining vaccination, early detection, and personalized treatment is essential to reduce the global burden of HPV-related diseases.

Abstract

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are a major cause of several cancers, particularly cervical cancer, and remain a serious public health challenge, particularly in low-resource countries. In addition to cervical cancer, HPV is linked to vulvar, vaginal, penile, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers, especially in men. The integration of HPV into the human genome plays a key role in cancer development. This review highlights the progress in HPV vaccination and new treatment approaches for non-cervical HPV-related cancers. Current vaccines provide strong protection against cervical cancer, and next-generation vaccines aim to protect against more types of cancer-causing HPV. New immunotherapy strategies, such as DNA-based vaccines and antigen-specific immunotherapy, are being developed to more effectively target HPV-driven cancers. Promising methods, such as CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, therapeutic vaccines, and immune checkpoint inhibitors, have shown success in early research and clinical trials. Among these, DNA vaccines stand out as cost-effective and scalable solutions for treating HPV-related tumors. This review also explores the biology of HPV-related cancers, global trends, and the latest advances in prevention and treatment. To reduce the burden of HPV-related diseases, a combined approach involving vaccination, early detection, and personalized treatment is essential. Ongoing research on therapeutic vaccines, gene therapies, and immune-based treatments could greatly improve the management of HPV-related cancers, potentially lowering their global impact. Expanding these innovations in clinical practice may significantly reduce the global burden of HPV-related malignancies.

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