On the Path to Prevention from the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program February 2022

February 4 is World Cancer Day. This year’s theme is “close the care gap.” It has never been more important to shine a light on ways we can do that. One in two people will have a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Each year, 630,000 people are diagnosed with a cancer linked to HPV—with a staggering 85% of those cases in low- and middle-income countries. Many of these cases can be prevented through HPV vaccination. Take action today to raise awareness about cancer on World Cancer Day. Perhaps you saw the news release from President Biden about reigniting the cancer moonshot to end cancer as we know it. HPV vaccination will play a major role in reducing the burden of preventable cancers.

Our program team is also preparing for International HPV Awareness Day, which occurs March 4. We will host a series of virtual seminars from February 28 through March 4. The seminars will focus on:

Inequities in HPV cancer prevention
Improving HPV vaccination coverage by beginning at age 9
Learning from HPV cancer survivors
Mitigating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

March 4, we will launch a public awareness campaign, so stay tuned for more details. You can register for any or all of these seminars here.

This month’s e-newsletter is full of information about upcoming events, current research and more. Every month, our program will send an email like this. We hope you will share it with others who may be interested and ask them to subscribe, too. We also want to hear from you if you have opportunities and information we can share. Email PreventHPV@stjude.org with questions.

HPV vaccination is cancer prevention.

International HPV Awareness Day was inaugurated March 4, 2018, to address significant gaps in public awareness of HPV. The campaign is founded on the premise that awareness of HPV is a fundamental element in efforts to reduce the harm of HPV and ultimately eliminate HPV-related cancers.

The theme of this year’s observance is “one less worry.” HPV vaccination offers protection against six types of cancer, which certainly provides one less worry. Learn more through the resources of the International Papillomavirus Society.

The HPV Cancer Prevention Program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will host a series of virtual seminars leading up to International HPV Awareness Day. Each seminar will feature a panel of speakers and a moderated discussion. Two seminars—February 28 and March 2—are co-organized with Moores Cancer Center of UC San Diego Health. All events will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. CST. Register today.

February 28—Addressing Inequities in HPV Vaccination Coverage and HPV Cancers
This in-depth conversation will address the disparities associated with HPV vaccination coverage across Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Speakers include Ronny Bell, PhD, Wake Forest University School of Medicine; Marvella Ford, PhD, Medical University of South Carolina and Hollings Cancer Center; Deanna Kepka, PhD, University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute; and Jesse Nodora, DrPH, University of California, San Diego. The session will be moderated by Andrea Stubbs of St. Jude.

March 1—Improving HPV Vaccination Coverage: Starting at Age 9
Explore the importance of starting HPV vaccination at age 9 to increase on-time vaccination coverage and optimize prevention of HPV cancers. Speakers include Robert Bednarczyk, PhD, Emory University; Tamera Coyne-Beasley, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham; and Sherri Zorn, MD, the Polyclinic. Michelle Bowden, MD, University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, will moderate the session. This session is co-organized with the Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable.

March 2—No Longer Invisible: Learning from Survivors
This seminar will elevate the voices of HPV cancers survivors to improve HPV cancer prevention. Panelists include Jason Mendelsohn, SupermanHPV; Lillian Keppler, HPV Cancer Alliance; and Rikki Rockett, drummer for the rock band Poison. Tamika Felder, founder and chief visionary officer of Cervivor, will moderate the session.

March 3—Mitigating the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on HPV Vaccination Coverage
There is an urgent need to lessen the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on HPV vaccination coverage, which has resulted in millions of missed doses and multiple missed opportunities for HPV cancer prevention. Speakers on this topic include Debbie Saslow, PhD, American Cancer Society; Judy Klein, UNITY Consortium; Cheryl Kovar, PhD, East Carolina University; and Kunal Saxena, PhD, Merck. Greg Zimet, PhD, Indiana University, will moderate this session.

March 4—Celebrating International HPV Awareness Day 2022
This seminar will focus on raising awareness about HPV cancer prevention and promoting action to increase HPV vaccination coverage. More information on this event will be released in the next few weeks.

Register today for the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program series of seminars leading up to International HPV Awareness Day.

Seminars will be recorded. Please email PreventHPV@stjude.org with questions. Visit stjude.org/hpv for more information about the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program.

You may also be interested in these International HPV Awareness Day activities.

2022 HPV Elimination—Leading Progress Statewide (HELPS): Eliminating HPV-Related Cancers Through Partnerships
March 4, 8–11:30 a.m. EST

This symposium, jointly provided by Advent Health and Moffitt Cancer Center, provides education on HPV vaccination recommendations, cervical cancer screening recommendations, and ways to address barriers in order to eliminate HPV-related cancers. Participants will learn to assess the vaccination and screening status of their constituents. Attendees will also acquire evidence-based tools and strategies to address barriers, increase vaccine uptake, and improve adherence to screening and treatment recommendations. Register here.

Make San Diego HPV Cancer Free: A Virtual Summit to Prevent HPV Cancers
March 4, 10 a.m.–noon PST

Join UC San Diego Health’s SD PATH team and the San Diego health care community in recognizing International HPV Awareness Day by sharing data, dialogues, best practices and commitments to make San Diego HPV cancer free. The morning keynote session will be followed by afternoon skill-building sessions. Register here.

Reconvening the HPV Cancer Free Tennessee Coalition
March 4, 10 a.m.–noon CST

The HPV Cancer Free Tennessee Coalition will reconvene March 4 for International HPV Awareness Day. This event will:

Feature information about ImmunizeTN, the new home for the HPV Cancer Free Tennessee Coalition
Share information on the state of HPV vaccination and HPV cancer prevention in Tennessee
Identify next steps for coalition activities across the state

Registration is open. If you have questions, email PreventHPV@stjude.org.

Research has shown that more than 40% of all cancers diagnosed and nearly half of all deaths from cancer in the United States can be attributed to preventable causes such as smoking, excess body weight, physical inactivity and excessive sun exposure. February is National Cancer Prevention Month, which is a time to draw attention to what can be done to prevent cancer. HPV vaccination is a major tool to prevent 6 types of cancer.

Steps such as these can dramatically reduce your risk of certain cancers:

Quitting smoking (or never starting in the first place)
Maintaining a healthy weight
Exercising regularly
Protecting your skin from the sun
Getting vaccinated against the viruses that cause certain cancers

Likewise, many of the greatest reductions in cancer diagnosis and death have been achieved by adopting effective public health education and policy initiatives. Such initiatives drove down cigarette smoking rates among U.S. adults by greater than twofold from 1965 to 2017. But 3 out of 10 cancer deaths are still caused by cigarette smoking, and lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer-related deaths for both men and women.

Every year, over 14,000 men get cancers caused by HPV, and 11,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer caused by HPV. Since 2006, when the HPV vaccine was approved for use by the FDA, protections have been in place to prevent 6 types of HPV-related cancers: cervical, throat, vaginal, vulva, penile and anal. The key to this preventive measure is the strong provider recommendation. By recommending the HPV vaccine, routinely to children ages 11–12 and as early as age 9, providers help to prevent cancers in adolescents and young adults.

We must identify ideas to enhance the distribution and execution of our current knowledge of cancer prevention and to process effective evidence-based practices that reduce risky behaviors for all groups of people. Why wait? Start this February during National Cancer Prevention Month. Learn how to reduce your cancer risk. Talk to your health care provider to help plan for you to be the best you in year 2022.

Celebrating the Living Legacies of Black History

February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the history and achievements of those who identify as Black/African American or as being of African descent.

In recent newsletters, we highlighted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Henrietta Lacks, two of many notable figures to create societal change knowingly or unknowingly. Both King and Lacks have long-lasting legacies, but the legacy of Mrs. Lacks is one that truly “lives” on.

Following her cervical cancer diagnosis in 1951, Lacks' cells were taken without her knowledge during her cancer treatment and became the first cells to grow and divide in a lab successfully and continuously. The cells were mass produced and became commonly known as HeLa cells.

Lacks' cells have made a profound contribution to scientific research and have led to the development of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, a vaccine that can prevent 6 types of HPV-related cancers.

The use of Lacks' cells contributed to medical distrust. Today, we have an opportunity to improve equitable health outcomes by celebrating her life and legacy while working toward advancements in research participation and protections.

In January 2022, our program had the privilege to host a powerful discussion about Lacks’ life and her impact on legislation. We united representatives of her family, an expert in eliminating health disparities and building medical trust, and advocates for HPV Cancer Prevention. The discussion featured speakers and panelists Robert A. Winn, MD, Tamika Felder, Kate Weissman, Veronica Robinson and Shirley Lacks.

Join us in celebrating Black History Month this February and recognizing the collective, exemplary contributions of all Black or African American people.

HPV Cancer Prevention and the Solutions for Success From
Michelle Silver, PhD, Washington University in St. Louis

For Michelle Silver, PhD, of Washington University in St. Louis, “HPV vaccination is cancer prevention” is a primary focus of her research. She has developed and implemented multi-faceted approaches to preventing HPV cancers.

Silver believes that targeting 9-year-olds makes sense based on how vaccines work. Some parents are not ready to hear a message about how their children should receive HPV vaccination at age 9. However, overcoming that challenge with education and information is the start of normalizing vaccinations at this age.

As a trusted source, the strong care provider recommendation remains the gold standard for increasing HPV vaccination. Research shows that bundling the HPV vaccine with other routinely recommended vaccinations for adolescents works better for increasing HPV rates.

Silver is an avid proponent of all clinic staff being able to effectively discuss the HPV vaccine with parents. This not only supports the message, but keeps it top of mind with parents as they navigate the office visit with their adolescents. Even the use of appointment reminders with an HPV vaccination message prepares parents for the upcoming visit.

Silver emphasizes the importance of other factors such as community, parents, and social media in relation to the HPV vaccine. Whether we look at rural versus urban communities or different socioeconomic groups, tailoring the message for the audience creates a better response. By word of mouth, parents can successfully influence other parents about HPV vaccination. They are relatable to other parents who may be hesitant or simply have not given much thought to HPV vaccination. Even the right message in social media can impact uptake of the HPV vaccine.

There is no one thing we can do to increase the rates of HPV vaccination. Putting a range of factors to work creates the impact needed to prevent HPV related cancers well into the future.

Mississippi Initiatives: Setting the State for Improving HPV Vaccination

Since the first Mississippi HPV Roundtable meeting in February 2019, progress for educating Mississippians on HPV vaccination has been ongoing. The goal is to unite the community to increase HPV vaccination rates statewide.

As a part of the Mississippi HPV Roundtable, three workgroups have been formed which represent the group’s priority areas:

Strengthening provider education and recommendations
Engaging systems change
Increasing parent and community knowledge

Prior to the roundtable’s formation, Mississippi hosted two ECHO models (“All Teach, All Learn”) with primary care providers that focused on HPV vaccination at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

In March 2021, the Mississippi Department of Medicaid changed the pharmacy benefit to allow pharmacists to administer the HPV vaccine to Medicaid recipients. In support of the change, Merck hosted two webinars through the Mississippi HPV Roundtable, reaching approximately 30 pharmacists statewide. In addition, Merck hosted 3 additional HPV webinars with 87 Walmart pharmacists.

The School of Pharmacy at the University of Mississippi initiated an HPV Free campaign to increase HPV vaccination among students who had not received the HPV vaccine or needed to complete the series. The program's success has allowed this initiative to expand to other college campuses across Mississippi in 2022.

Mississippi HPV Roundtable member United Healthcare implemented several new quality improvement projects aimed at increasing HPV vaccination rates for members. The quality improvement initiatives included:

Live and automated calls encouraging completion of wellness exams and immunizations
Reminder calls to members needing a second dose of HPV vaccine
Incentives for completion of adolescent vaccines
Reminder mailouts targeting members who need wellness exams and vaccinations

The Mississippi AAP Chapter will host the Mississippi HPV Summit March 29 in partnership with the Mississippi HPV Roundtable and the American Cancer Society. The summit will focus on educating pediatricians, other health professionals and anyone interested in learning more about HPV.

Participants will learn about increasing HPV vaccination in Mississippi, state-specific HPV data, and the role pediatricians play in preventing HPV cancers.

Email Amy Ellis at Amy.Ellis@cancer.org for more information and registration details.

Explore HPV Vaccination Implementation Science Research in
Clinical Contexts

Join us February 24 for the second of four sessions focused on HPV vaccination and implementation science research. This session will focus on HPV vaccination in clinical contexts and will include presentations from St. Jude and Washington University in St. Louis researchers. The session will be moderated by Tamera Coyne-Beasley, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The HPV Research Group of the St. Jude–Washington University Implementation Sciences Collaborative invites you to explore opportunities for collaborations on implementation science research across various settings in which HPV vaccination may be promoted - community, clinical, and policy. A final session will examine opportunities and next steps for research collaborations.

Register today to attend any or all of the following sessions:

HPV Vaccination in Clinical Contexts—Thursday, February 24, noon–1:15 p.m. CST
HPV Vaccination in Policy Contexts—Thursday, March 31, noon–1:15 p.m. CST
HPV Vaccination: Opportunities and Next Steps—Thursday, April 28, noon–1:30 p.m. CST

Heather Brandt, PhD and Lisa Klesges, PhD lead the HPV Vaccination Research Group. For more information, email Carrie Stoll.

New White Paper
State Strategies to Improve HPV Vaccine Uptake in
Pre-Teens and Adolescents

The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) recently released a white paper on State Strategies to Improve HPV Vaccine Uptake in Pre-Teens and Adolescents.

According to NASHP, HPV vaccination continues to lag behind national benchmarks, leaving adolescents vulnerable to the development of preventable HPV-related cancers. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous negative impact upon these rates since 2020, as parents and health care providers have faced stay-at-home orders, disease surges and a heavily burdened health care system.

With nearly 80 million Americans—1 in 4—infected with HPV, getting HPV vaccinations back on track is critical to preventing future disease, suffering and death. HPV vaccination, which has been routinely recommended in the United States since 2006, can prevent more than 90% of HPV cancers when given at the recommended ages.

This paper highlights several successful state initiatives that policymakers may consider adopting to improve routine HPV vaccination rates among adolescents and provide catch-up vaccinations to the estimated 1 million adolescents who are now behind due to the challenges of the pandemic.

Welcome Portia Knowlton and Brooke Morgan
to the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program

In January, we welcomed two new program coordinators in the HPV Cancer Prevention Program—Portia Knowlton and Brooklyn (Brooke) Morgan.

As program coordinators, Knowlton and Morgan will apply years of gained experience to assist in developing, evaluating and sustaining HPV Cancer Prevention Program activities—locally, regionally and nationally.

Our program understands the importance of having effective and engaged partnerships to improve HPV vaccination and prevent HPV cancers. Knowlton and Morgan have integrated this philosophy in their previous work experiences.
Morgan , most recently, worked for the St. Jude HIV outreach program and Knowlton worked as a special program coordinator for Shelby County (Tennessee) Schools’ Coordinated School Health program.

Knowlton’s passion for advocacy and health education started while she was in college.

“It feels second nature to increase awareness and bridge gaps of hesitancy and lack of understanding,” she says.

Morgan has over a decade’s worth of experience identifying and establishing partnerships within community and clinical settings to link newly diagnosed HIV-positive youth and young adults into age-appropriate medical care. She says it is important to motivate individuals to change their behaviors but that it is even more important to focus on structural level or system changes that help to improve better health outcomes.

We are delighted to have them join our team and cannot wait for you to meet them, too.

Who or What is your Favorite Black History Figure or Fact?

Since 1976, every American president beginning with President Gerald Ford has designated February as Black History Month. This year’s theme is Black Health and Wellness.

Today, Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more. In this spirit, members of the HPV Cancer Prevention Program team share a favorite Black history figure or fact.

“I love that Memphis history is Black history. Memphis is rooted in great music and is known worldwide for many great songs recorded by Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes and Rufus Thomas right here at Stax Records. ”
– Andrea Stubbs, administrative director

“All of the unnamed people who posted flyers, drove boycotting bus riders to work, and kept the porch lights on when those on the front line needed refuge.” – Carol Minor, program coordinator

“I can think of many greats, but my favorites tend to be the unsung heroes. My favorite Black history figure is close to my heart. My grandfather, Dr. James Henry Neely, was the first African American doctor to gain full hospital privileges to admit and treat patients at the local medical center in my hometown. Through his work, he addressed many barriers to accessing care for patients of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds.” – Julia Neely, program coordinator

“At the turn of the 20th century, African American entrepreneurs founded and developed the Greenwood district in Tulsa, Oklahoma, also known as the “Black Wall Street.” The residents of Greenwood collectively funneled their cash into local Black businesses, ultimately becoming a robust and self-sustaining community.” – Brooke Morgan, program coordinator

“As a little girl, I will never forget portraying Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African American female astronaut. In my shiny silver astronaut outfit, I shared with my class that Dr. Jemison paved the way for little girls like me to dream of being anything I wanted to be.” – Portia Knowlton, program coordinator

“There were many other women who refused to give up their seats before Rosa Parks did during the Civil Rights Era. One such figure was a woman named Claudette Colvin. At the tender age of 15, she stood for injustice by refusing to give up her seat on a crowded bus to a Caucasian male. She was a teenager and pregnant and thus could not be used as the "face” of the civil rights era. Her story is told in the book Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice by Phillip Hoose.” – Contrina Huffman, graduate student assistant

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is and has always been my favorite historical figure. I truly believe that he has changed the world with his words and character. He gave his life fighting for freedom, and I am reminded of that every day while living in Memphis.” - Duha Magzoub, graduate student assistant

“My favorite black history figure is Harriet Tubman. I admire the skill and bravery it must have taken to lead so many enslaved people to freedom. I had the opportunity to visit the Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum here in Memphis, and I learned so much.” – Ursula LeFlore, administrative specialist

“There are so many options. I am going to share one person I think of every day in my work, and one person who now rests in power. The first is Henrietta Lacks whose immortal cells contributed to untold numbers of scientific discoveries, including finding the link between HPV and cervical cancer. The second is bell hooks who passed away in 2021. On the list of authors whose work I have read that changed my life by opening up my heart and mind to ways of thinking and doing to which I had not been exposed previously, bell hooks is near the top. I am grateful that she shared her talent and passion with us. ” – Heather Brandt, director

St. Jude Progress Blogs Focus on HPV Cancer Prevention

In January, we raised awareness about HPV vaccination as a cancer prevention tool as part of Cervical Health Awareness Month. This included a series of blog posts authored by St. Jude advocates.

Vaccination is prevention: The HPV vaccine is effective against Cancer by Julia Neely
Are HPV cancer prevention messages reaching their target audiences? by Katherine Knapp, MD
Promoting HPV vaccination among childhood cancer survivors by Emily Browne, DNP

Get Free St. Jude HPV Education Materials Today

The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program has created a series of HPV cancer prevention educational materials. These colorful fact sheets contain essential information about the importance of HPV vaccination as cancer prevention.

There are four versions of the fact sheets to target various audiences: general public, parents, health care providers, and cancer patients and families. The materials emphasize basic information about HPV vaccination and include action steps to prevent HPV cancers.

You can select the versions most appropriate for those you serve. Download the fact sheets online or email PreventHPV@stjude.org to have copies mailed to you.