On the Path to Prevention from the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program September 2021

In September, we recognize the power of prevention by acknowledging two important awareness months – Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. While we do not yet know how to prevent childhood cancers, we can prevent second cancers caused by HPV among childhood cancer survivors who are at increased risk for them. We know some gynecological cancers linked to HPV can be prevented through HPV vaccination. Prevention is powerful but only as powerful as we allow it to be by taking advantage of it.

In the spirit of the power of prevention, the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program is serving as a convener for a local roundtable focused on Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee. This area of the state has significantly lower HPV vaccination rates than the rest of Tennessee and the United States. We have work to do here to ensure the full power of prevention is recognized.

The newly released NIS-TEEN data for 2020 show modest, incremental increases nationally in HPV vaccination. This is good news, but we continue to see persistent disparities regionally and in rural populations. The 2020 NIS-TEEN data reflect coverage before the COVID-19 pandemic. We are uncertain about the full magnitude of the pandemic on HPV vaccination.

We are looking for people who share our belief in the power of prevention and want to join our team. Apply today for one of two program coordinator positions or one of two postdoctoral fellowship positions in the HPV Cancer Prevention Program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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.

This month, the HPV Cancer Prevention Program is going gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The gold color and ribbon are symbols for cancer affecting children.

In 2012, President Obama proclaimed September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to bring awareness to pediatric cancer, which remains the leading cause of death by disease for children under age 14. Approximately 400,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer across the globe each year. St. Jude is the first and only National Cancer Institute (NCI)–designated cancer center solely focused on pediatric cancer.

The risk factors for childhood cancers are still largely unknown, and we do not yet know how to prevent childhood cancers. However, at St. Jude, we work tirelessly to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. No child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay, and no family ever receives a bill.

We love to see children conquer cancer, but we also know that childhood cancer survivors are at an increased risk for second cancers. The HPV Cancer Prevention Program aims to reduce their risk of having HPV cancers in adulthood. We do that by educating patients, survivors, families and caregivers about that risk and emphasizing the importance of HPV vaccination as cancer prevention. #ShowYourGold by sharing a picture while wearing gold, and learn more from St. Jude.

During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we also celebrate the Inspiration4 mission, which will include Hayley Arceneaux as the first childhood cancer survivor in space. We imagined the path to prevention could take us many places, but likely, none of us imagined outer space.

Hayley is a physician assistant at St. Jude. At age 10, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, commonly known as bone cancer, and was treated for her cancer at St. Jude. Years later, Hayley will fill the “hope” seat on Inspiration4 and will join the world’s first all-civilian space mission.

As a health care provider and an advocate for childhood survivors and childhood vaccinations, Hayley gives us hope that we have the power to prevent HPV cancers. She and the Inspiration4 crew are scheduled to begin their journey Wednesday, September 15. Netflix will document parts of the preparation, launch and return. Safe travels, Hayley!

Every five minutes someone is diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer. September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness and promote action to change that statistic. How much do you know about gynecologic cancers? Take this quick quiz to find out.

September is Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month, a time for women to assess one of the most unique systems of their body—the female reproductive system. It is made up of internal and external organs that include the uterus, ovaries, cervix, vagina and vulva, all of which are vulnerable to gynecological cancers.

Nearly all gynecologic cancers are caused by HPV. That’s why prevention through HPV vaccination is crucial. Without getting the HPV vaccine, women run the risk of developing some types of gynecological cancers.

Currently, cervical cancer is the only HPV-associated cancer for which FDA-approved screening tests are available. The primary goal of screening is to identify precancerous lesions caused by HPV so they can be removed to prevent invasive cancers from developing.

A secondary goal is to find cervical cancers at an early stage when they can usually be treated. Maintaining a regular schedule of cervical screening with a Pap test and a visual exam can save lives. The screening process can help identify and successfully treat most gynecological infections or cancers.

This is a teachable moment for parents to learn more about HPV-related gynecological cancers and protect their daughters as they grow into womanhood. It is also a time for all women to review their routine of gynecological care.

Saving lives depends on it.

Since June 2021, our team has been working with physicians, health care professionals and public health leaders to form the Memphis and Shelby County (Tennessee) HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable. This group is dedicated to addressing low HPV vaccination rates for HPV cancer prevention in our community.

We are planning a kickoff event to take a deeper dive into national, statewide and local data and evidence. During this event, we will also identify opportunities for collective action.

The virtual event will be held Fridays, September 24 and October 1, from 1–4:15 p.m. each day. Session titles include:

“I’ll Take You There,” an exploration of priority and evidence-based interventions
“Let’s Stay Together,” a session to engage community voices
“Walking in Memphis,” which will garner perspectives from HPV cancer survivors

Participants who register by Friday, September 10, will receive special promotional items to enjoy during the virtual conference. We are also giving away BBQ gift cards and will have some blues for you to enjoy too.

Please join us as we learn more about HPV in Memphis and Shelby County and discuss action plans for improving HPV outcomes and vaccination rates.

St. Jude Leader Pens Open Letter about Keeping Children Safe

An important task of parents, caregivers and others who love and care for children is to maintain a safe and healthy environment. This encourages proper growth and development and ensures a child's healthy progression in growing up.

Since 1962, the guiding principle of St. Jude has been that “no child should die in the dawn of life.” This has become the impetus for the research and treatment discoveries that combat childhood cancers, sickle cell disease and many other catastrophic diseases.

As physician, scientist, and president and CEO of St. Jude, James R. Downing, MD, penned an open letter to parents, community members and political officials encouraging the use of masks and science to diminish the threat of COVID-19 to children.

Read his open letter to learn how we can all share in keeping the community safe by encouraging mask usage and vaccination for those eligible.

We hope you will use and share St. Jude resources, including the Cover for the Kids and Vaccines Bring Us Closer toolkits, the video recap from the recent Town Hall Series meeting or Dr. Downing’s open letter to pass along the message to friends and family.

We must come together to keep children safe—and in turn, have safer families and communities.

Leading Cancer Research Centers Call for Urgent Action to Get HPV Vaccination Back on Track

Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) Executive Director Jennifer W. Pegher said, “HPV prevention, screening and treatment is a major goal of AACI cancer centers. COVID-19 vaccination is a good opportunity for parents to get their children the HPV vaccine and other recommended vaccines.”

Last month, St. Jude joined 15 leading academic and freestanding cancer centers with membership in the AACI; all National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers, which included 70 AACI members; and other organizations to issue this joint statement. The statement urges the nation’s health care systems, physicians, parents, children and young adults to get HPV cancer prevention vaccination and other recommended vaccinations back on track during National Immunization Awareness Month.

Dramatic drops in annual well-child visits and immunizations during the COVID-19 pandemic have caused a significant vaccination gap and lag in vital preventive services among U.S. children and adolescents. Now is the time to get back on track with vaccination to keep our children, families and communities safe.

The organizations urge the following actions as children head back to school:

Health care systems’ staff and providers should identify and contact parents of adolescents who are due for vaccinations and encourage them to complete vaccinations.
Parents should have their adolescent children vaccinated as soon as possible. See the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) list of recommended vaccines.

More information on getting back on track with HPV vaccination is also available from the CDC and National HPV Vaccination Roundtable.

2020 NIS-TEEN Data Show Increases in HPV Vaccination

The CDC released the MMWR report on 2020 NIS-TEEN vaccination coverage last week.

The National Immunization Surveys (NIS) are a group of phone surveys used to monitor vaccine coverage among children and teens. The current report shows 2020 coverage for individuals who are 13–17 years old. In 2019, NIS-TEEN data showed 71.5% of respondents received the first dose of HPV vaccination and 54.2% were up to date with the HPV vaccination series. In 2020, first dose percentage increased by 3.6% to 75.1% and the up-to-date percentage increased by 4.4% to 58.6%.

However, when compared to other recommended vaccinations for adolescents, HPV vaccination continues to lag behind. Disparities based on geographic region, rurality and poverty also persisted. It is important to note the 2020 NIS-TEEN data were gathered before the pandemic, so additional monitoring of the effects of the pandemic on adolescent vaccination continue to be needed.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children and adolescents have fallen behind on recommended immunizations. As schools reopen in person for the fall, vaccination clinics in schools can help support improved access to COVID-19 vaccinations for eligible students and their families. Such clinics can also provide opportunities for children to get the seasonal flu shot and catch up on routine vaccinations.

The Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy and the Association of Immunization Managers will host a virtual symposium Friday, September 17, from noon to 4 p.m., EST. This event will unite public health officials, K–12 leaders, health care providers and other immunization community stakeholders to share best practices for improving childhood and adolescent immunization rates in school settings.

Speakers will discuss:

innovative models and lessons learned for school-located COVID-19 vaccination sites
communication strategies for engaging families
strategies to build vaccine confidence
opportunities to strengthen partnerships among public health, education, and health care providers to improve child and adolescent vaccination rates

An agenda for this free event is forthcoming. Register today.

What are your favorite things about living in Memphis?

With a metropolitan population of more than 1 million people, Memphis retains much of the allure of a small town. This friendly city has a rich history of music, culture and the arts. But it also has great year-round outdoor recreation, a thriving food scene, terrific sports, family-friendly activities, an entrepreneurial spirit, and so much more — with an affordable cost of living that makes it easy to do what you enjoy. St. Jude has compiled an everything Memphis list to highlight what makes Memphis great. The St. Jude HPV Team shares a few of their favorite things about Memphis too.

“I have vowed to revisit Memphis landmarks that were special to me as a child. One of those places is the famous Overton Park. I remember going there on Sundays for concerts by local artists. The concert series is still going on today with new and classic musical acts. I really like the park zoo, too, and here’s a secret: We big kids like it just as much as the little ones. There is a bike trail that encircles the park, and it is now on my “must do” list. Another special place is Graceland. Having had the opportunity to visit numerous times, I will finally make it inside the gates by the end of this year. You don’t know how many times people have asked if I have ever been there. I long to say yes.” – Carol Minor, program coordinator

“I love that Memphis sits on the bluffs high above the Mississippi River. I like to go there often to take a mental escape and watch the barge boats and get lost in the rhythmic flow of the river.” – Andrea Stubbs, administrative director

“What I love about Memphis is the culture. The city is lively and upbeat, and the people are kind and helpful. Memphis also has great food and music, which is always a plus for me.” – Julia Neely, program coordinator

“I love Downtown Memphis. Riding the Main Street Trolley. Walking along Tom Lee Park watching the barges and boats go up and down the river. Walking across the Harahan Bridge for exercise and a mental outlet.” – Ursula LeFlore, administrative assistant

“I moved to Memphis during the COVID-19 pandemic, so I have learned to love Memphis through outdoor spaces. I really enjoy being close to the Mississippi River, walking across Big River Crossing and running at Mud Island. I am mesmerized by the replica of the river at Mud Island River Park, having grown up fishing and playing in the river in northeastern Iowa. And, I live close to the Greenline and Shelby Farms, which offer miles and miles of trails for walking, running and bicycling.” – Heather Brandt, director

Join us in the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program

The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program focuses on increasing HPV vaccination and preventing HPV cancers. We aim to galvanize existing successful efforts and introduce new ones to increase HPV vaccination.

Our tactics include using:

clinical interventions with health care providers and systems
community interventions (including increasing public awareness and building confidence in HPV vaccination for cancer prevention)
public policy and advocacy

Our program also contributes to emerging opportunities, such as exploring non-traditional approaches for delivering HPV vaccinations and mitigating the negative effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic on HPV vaccination. Partnerships and equity are foundational components of our work.

The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program has several opportunities for thriving, exceptional talent to join our team. We will hire four individuals—two program coordinators and two postdoctoral fellows—who understand and share the objectives and impetus for St. Jude and our program.

We are looking for extraordinary listeners, communicators and teammates with a passion to lead and serve others. Ideal candidates will be able to identify, establish and sustain community partnerships and cultivate a workplace culture of uninhibited idea generation, collaboration and problem-solving. There is ample opportunity for professional development and growth and for tailored mentored training in implementation science.

If you are interested, apply for the program coordinator positions or the postdoctoral fellowship positions, or share the link with those who may be an exceptional fit for our team. For more information, visit stjude.org/hpv or email PreventHPV@stjude.org.