Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Uptake among Adolescent Survivors of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant

Abstract

Purpose To characterize the rate of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake in the adolescents after hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Methods This retrospective study evaluated the vaccine history of adolescent HSCT patients ≥ 11 years of age transplanted between 2015 and 2022 at a tertiary care medical center. Logistic regression was used to examine bivariate associations between HPV vaccine uptake and covariates including demographic factors, indication for and type of HSCT, receipt of HPV vaccine prior to transplant, and receipt of other vaccines after transplant. Results Among 119 (n = 53 female; n = 66 male) eligible patients, 66 (55.5%) received ≥ one dose of the HPV vaccine after HSCT. Among those who initiated vaccination, 45/66 (68.2%) completed two or more doses. Of 69 patients who were eligible to receive the vaccine prior to HSCT, 19/36 (52%) were vaccinated both before and after HSCT, compared to 14/33 (42%) who did not receive the vaccine before HSCT but chose to be vaccinated after HSCT. No statistically significant difference was identified between those who did and did not initiate HPV vaccination after HSCT among covariates examined. Conclusions Rate of HPV vaccine uptake after HSCT was lower compared to the general U.S. adolescent population and lower than the rate of other recommended vaccines. Receiving HPV vaccine prior to HSCT was not associated with HPV re-uptake after HSCT. Implications for Cancer Survivors: HPV vaccination continues to be suboptimal in HSCT survivorship and should be a targeted goal for improvement in preventing secondary malignancy in this high-risk population.