Letters to the Editor: Chemo, surgery, radiation -- what HPV vaccination could have prevented
An HPV vaccination dose is prepared in China in 2023.
(CFOTO / Future Publishing via Getty Images)
To the editor: I was diagnosed with cervical cancer four years ago — and I can thank the human papillomavirus, or HPV, for it. (“Trust survivors: You do not want an HPV-caused cancer. Get vaccinated,” letters, Dec. 31)
I had a complete hysterectomy followed by a round of chemotherapy and radiation. Thankfully, the surgery and treatment were successful.
Turns out that the tenacious and pernicious virus is still in my system — so I get to be on the lookout for other scourges, including anal cancer.
I encourage anyone eligible for vaccination against HPV to get it.
J.A. Hutchinson, Los Angeles
