Comprehensive National Strategy for HPV Prevention and Treatment in Iran

Document Type : Viewpoint

Authors

1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Cell Therapy and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Research Institute for Oncology, Hematology and Cell Therapy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 Independent researcher, Tehran, Iran

4 Hematologic Malignancies Research Center, Research Institute for Oncology, Hematology and Cell Therapy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Keywords


Background

 

Human papillomavirus (HPV), a non-enveloped double-stranded DNA virus from the Papillomaviridae family, is a leading cause of preventable cancers worldwide, responsible for 5% of global malignancies, including cervical, anogenital, and oropharyngeal cancers.1,2 In Iran, HPV prevalence is alarmingly high at 38.68%, contributing to approximately 44 600 cancer cases annually.3,4 ...(Read more...)

  1. Tommasino M. The human papillomavirus family and its role in carcinogenesis. Semin Cancer Biol. 2014;26:13-21. doi:1016/j.semcancer.2013.11.002
  2. Brianti P, De Flammineis E, Mercuri SR. Review of HPV-related diseases and cancers. New Microbiol. 2017;40(2):80-85.
  3. Bitarafan F, Hekmat MR, Khodaeian M, et al. Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus infection among 12 076 Iranian women. Int J Infect Dis. 2021;111:295-302. doi:1016/j.ijid.2021.07.071
  4. Bannazadeh Baghi H, Shiri Aghbash P, Rasizadeh R, Poortahmasebi V, Alinezhad F. Cancers associated with human papillomavirus: an overview of prevalence in Iran and the Middle East. Explor Res Hypothesis Med. 2024;9(2):115-127. doi:14218/erhm.2023.00053
  5. Ziaee A, Ziaee M, Asghari A, Elhamirad S, Azarkar G. Unpacking HPV stigma: assessing healthcare workers' knowledge and stigma towards HPV while exploring the connection between the two. J Med Educ Curric Dev. 2024;11:23821205241260596. doi:1177/23821205241260596
  6. Osmani V, Hörner L, Nkurunziza T, Rank S, Tanaka LF, Klug SJ. Global prevalence of cervical human papillomavirus in women aged 50 years and older with normal cytology: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Microbe. 2025;6(1):100955. doi:1016/j.lanmic.2024.100955
  7. Dykens JA, Peterson CE, Holt HK, Harper DM. Gender neutral HPV vaccination programs: reconsidering policies to expand cancer prevention globally. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1067299. doi:3389/fpubh.2023.1067299
  8. Walboomers JM, Jacobs MV, Manos MM, et al. Human papillomavirus is a necessary cause of invasive cervical cancer worldwide. J Pathol. 1999;189(1):12-19. doi:1002/(sici)1096-9896(199909)189:1<12::Aid-path431>3.0.Co;2-f
  9. Pirmoradi Z, Nazari K, Shafiee N, et al. Oral cancer and HPV. Asian Pac J Cancer Biol. 2024;9(1):87-95. doi:31557/apjcb.2024.9.1.87-95
  10. Shigeishi H. Association between human papillomavirus and oral cancer: a literature review. Int J Clin Oncol. 2023;28(8):982-989. doi:1007/s10147-023-02327-9
  11. Mohammadpour F, Mansouri A, Hadjibabaie M. Utilization evaluation of human papilloma virus vaccine (GARDASIL®) in Iran; a cross-sectional study. Iran J Pharm Res. 2020;19(1):68-76. doi:22037/ijpr.2020.1100923
  12. Letafati A, Vasheghani Farahani A, Baradaran Nasiri MM, et al. High prevalence of HPV-56 and HPV-39 in Sari, Iran: an analysis of genotype distribution. Virol J. 2024;21(1):227. doi:1186/s12985-024-02496-7
  13. Sargazi N, Takian A, Daroudi R, et al. Cost-benefit analysis of human papillomavirus vaccine in Iran. J Prev (2022). 2022;43(6):841-857. doi:1007/s10935-022-00697-w
  14. Barkhordar M, Chahardouli B, Biglari A, et al. Three doses of a recombinant conjugated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine early after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: predicting indicators of a high serologic response-a prospective, single-arm study. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1169666. doi:3389/fimmu.2023.1169666
  15. Sharifi Aliabadi L, Karami M, Barkhordar M, et al. Homologous versus Heterologous prime-boost COVID-19 vaccination in autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients: a blinded randomized controlled trial. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1237916. doi:3389/fimmu.2023.1237916
  16. Ellingson MK, Sheikha H, Nyhan K, Oliveira CR, Niccolai LM. Human papillomavirus vaccine effectiveness by age at vaccination: a systematic review. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2023;19(2):2239085. doi:1080/21645515.2023.2239085
  17. Honarvar M, Goudarzi R, Amiresmaili M, Amiri A, Saeed Paul AS. The feasibility of including human papillomavirus vaccine in Iran's national immunization program. Vacunas. 2023;24(4):298-307. doi:1016/j.vacune.2023.10.006
  18. Oshman LD, Davis AM. Human papillomavirus vaccination for adults: updated recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). JAMA. 2020;323(5):468-469. doi:1001/jama.2019.18411
  19. Dousti R, Allahqoli L, Ayar Kocaturk A, Hakimi S. Can human papillomavirus vaccination during pregnancy result in miscarriage and stillbirth? A meta-analysis and systematic review. Eur J Midwifery. 2023;7:9. doi:18332/ejm/161793
  20. Goldstone SE. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in adults: learnings from long-term follow-up of quadrivalent HPV vaccine clinical trials. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2023;19(1):2184760. doi:1080/21645515.2023.2184760
  21. Bakare D, Gobbo E, Akinsola KO, et al. Healthcare worker practices for HPV vaccine recommendation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024;20(1):2402122. doi:1080/21645515.2024.2402122
  22. Oliveira CR, Niccolai LM. Monitoring HPV vaccine impact on cervical disease: status and future directions for the era of cervical cancer elimination. Prev Med. 2021;144:106363. doi:1016/j.ypmed.2020.106363
  23. Marfo E, Salami B, Adjei C, MacDonald S. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in a privately funded program in Ghana: a qualitative case study. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024;20(1):2397219. doi:1080/21645515.2024.2397219
  24. Nabirye J, Okwi LA, Nuwematsiko R, et al. Health system factors influencing uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among adolescent girls 9-15 years in Mbale district, Uganda. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):171. doi:1186/s12889-020-8302-z
  25. Spencer JC, Brewer NT, Trogdon JG, Weinberger M, Coyne-Beasley T, Wheeler SB. Cost-effectiveness of interventions to increase HPV vaccine uptake. Pediatrics. 2020;146(6):e20200395. doi:1542/peds.2020-0395

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 03 August 2025
  • Received Date: 06 February 2025
  • Revised Date: 13 May 2025
  • Accepted Date: 02 August 2025
  • First Published Date: 03 August 2025