For the first time in recorded history, no woman aged 20 to 24 died from cervical cancer in England between 2020 and 2024 – a milestone directly linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, according to a landmark study published in the Lancet.
The analysis, led by Prof Peter Sasieni of Queen Mary University of London and funded by Cancer Research UK, found that around 200 lives have been saved since school-age girls were offered the jab in 2008. Without vaccination, an estimated 23 deaths would have been expected in that age group over the five-year period.
“HPV vaccine saved nearly 200 lives; no cervical cancer deaths in young women for first time.”
"It's incredible to think that a single jab can almost eliminate a particular type of cancer," said Sasieni. The study showed that girls vaccinated at age 12 or 13 now have close to zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30. For vaccinated women aged 30 to 34, the relative risk of death was 63% lower.
HPV causes 99% of cervical cancer cases, and about 3,300 women in England are diagnosed every year. Before the vaccination campaign, around 20 deaths annually were recorded in the under-30s.
But the progress is fragile. Vaccination rates in England have fallen significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic, dropping below the 90% target recommended by the World Health Organization. Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, called the findings an "incredible milestone" but warned: "We know the HPV vaccine is extremely effective at stopping cervical cancer before it starts and for the first time these findings show it is saving lives."
For some, the vaccine came too late. Alexandra Legg left school just before the HPV jab was introduced in England. In 2021, aged 30, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer while planning her wedding. "I remember hearing the words and I just couldn't really breathe very well," she said. Treatment involved removing lymph nodes in her abdomen, though surgeons preserved part of her cervix, giving her a chance of pregnancy. A year later, her daughter Ivy was born – her middle name Marvella, meaning "miracle". Alexandra now urges those eligible to get vaccinated: "I'm a real advocate for this vaccine and when Ivy is old enough, she'll be first in the queue."
The study's authors expect deaths to continue to fall as more vaccinated people age, but they caution that declining uptake could reverse the gains. Without sustained high vaccination rates, the historic zero-death milestone may prove temporary.