World Immunization Week 2021: Spotlight on hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus

To mark World Immunization Week 2021 (24–30 April), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is highlighting the links between viruses and cancer.

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause liver cancer. Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause several different types of head and neck cancer, and HPV infection is the cause of almost all of the approximately 600 000 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed worldwide per year. Both HBV and HPV infections can be prevented by vaccines that are safe and efficacious.

In new videos for World Immunization Week, IARC experts explain why scaling up the implementation of vaccination programmes and understanding the links between infections and cancers are critical to prevent these infection-related cancer types. The scientists also explore the current and future burdens of cancer associated with HBV and HPV infections and describe some of the related research projects that IARC is involved in.

Visit the IARC World Immunization Week webpage