Without both shots, the vaccine loses much of its protective power.
Por quase uma década, o Brasil oferece gratuitamente uma das ferramentas mais poderosas já criadas para interromper o ciclo de um dos cânceres mais comuns entre mulheres — antes mesmo que ele comece. A vacina contra o HPV, disponível no SUS desde 2014, protege contra sete doenças distintas e está ao alcance de crianças entre nove e quatorze anos em todo o país. O desafio não é o acesso, nem o custo: é a persistência humana diante de um compromisso que exige ser cumprido até o fim.
- O câncer de colo do útero é o terceiro mais comum entre mulheres brasileiras, e o HPV é sua principal causa — uma ameaça silenciosa que a ciência já sabe como prevenir.
- Muitos adolescentes tomam a primeira dose da vacina e simplesmente não voltam para a segunda, deixando o sistema imunológico sem a proteção completa que o esquema exige.
- Enfermeiras como Jéssica Soares, em Maceió, alertam que sem as duas doses — com intervalo de seis meses — a vacina perde grande parte de sua eficácia.
- Unidades móveis de vacinação e postos de saúde em toda a cidade tentam reduzir as barreiras práticas, levando o imunizante diretamente às comunidades mais vulneráveis.
- A proteção completa depende de três frentes combinadas: vacinação, exames preventivos regulares e práticas sexuais seguras — nenhuma delas substitui as outras.
Desde 2014, o Sistema Único de Saúde oferece gratuitamente a vacina contra o HPV para crianças entre nove e quatorze anos, meninos e meninas. O imunizante protege contra sete doenças causadas pelo papilomavírus humano — entre elas o câncer de colo do útero, que ocupa o terceiro lugar entre os cânceres mais frequentes em mulheres brasileiras, atrás apenas do câncer de mama e do colorretal. A vacina age contra quatro cepas do vírus responsáveis pela maioria dos casos de infecção e doença.
Para que funcione plenamente, o esquema exige duas doses com intervalo de seis meses. É justamente aí que reside o problema mais persistente: muitos adolescentes recebem a primeira aplicação e não retornam para a segunda. Sem completar o ciclo, o organismo não desenvolve a resposta imunológica necessária para se proteger. Jéssica Soares, enfermeira responsável pela imunização em Maceió, reforça o apelo às famílias para que garantam o retorno dos filhos à segunda dose.
Algumas populações têm acesso ampliado: pessoas vivendo com HIV, transplantados e pacientes oncológicos entre nove e quarenta e cinco anos podem se vacinar com esquema de três doses, mediante apresentação de documentação médica. Gestantes, por sua vez, devem aguardar o pós-parto.
A vacina, porém, não age sozinha. O exame de colpocitologia — o popular preventivo — continua indispensável para detectar alterações celulares antes que evoluam para malignidade. O uso de preservativos completa o tripé de proteção. Em Maceió, além das unidades de saúde, o programa Saúde da Gente Mulher leva a vacinação diretamente aos bairros. O acesso existe. O que falta é garantir que nenhuma criança fique com o esquema incompleto.
For nearly a decade, Brazil's public health system has offered a vaccine that stops one of the most common causes of cancer in women before it starts. The HPV vaccine arrived in the Sistema Único de Saúde in 2014, and it works against seven different diseases—cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, vaginal cancer, anal cancer, penile cancer, cancers of the mouth and throat, and genital warts. The virus that causes these conditions, human papillomavirus, is the leading culprit behind cervical cancer, which ranks third among cancers affecting Brazilian women, trailing only breast cancer and colorectal cancer.
The vaccine is free and available to all children between nine and fourteen years old, boys and girls alike. Jéssica Soares, a nurse who oversees immunization efforts in Maceió, emphasizes that vaccination remains the most effective prevention tool available. The inoculation targets four specific HPV strains—types 6, 11, 16, and 18—that account for the majority of infection-related disease. For the vaccine to work as intended, however, young people must complete the full schedule: two doses, spaced six months apart.
This is where the system encounters a persistent problem. Many adolescents receive their first dose but never return for the second. Without both shots, the vaccine loses much of its protective power. Soares stresses the importance of following through, urging parents to bring their children back for that critical second appointment. The stakes are real—incomplete vaccination means the body never develops the full immune response needed to ward off infection.
The vaccine extends beyond the standard age group for certain populations. People living with HIV, organ transplant recipients, and cancer patients between nine and forty-five years old can also receive it, though they require three doses instead of two and must present medical documentation at the time of vaccination. Pregnant women are advised not to receive the vaccine during pregnancy.
Vaccination alone, however, is not a complete solution. The shot prevents infection, but it does not replace the need for regular screening. A test called colpocitology—commonly known as a Pap smear—remains essential for detecting precancerous changes before they develop into full malignancy. Condom use during sexual activity also plays a role, reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections more broadly. These three approaches—vaccination, screening, and safe sex practices—work together to protect against cervical cancer and related diseases.
In Maceió, the vaccine is available at every health clinic in the city. The public health department also operates mobile vaccination units, including the Saúde da Gente Mulher program, which brings immunization services directly to neighborhoods and underserved areas. For families seeking the vaccine, access is straightforward: the cost is zero, and the locations are numerous. The barrier is not availability or expense. It is completion—getting young people to return for that second dose, and ensuring that vaccination becomes routine rather than abandoned halfway through.
Notable Quotes
The vaccine is the primary prevention. It aims to prevent precancerous infections of the cervix, vulva, vagina, and genital warts in both women and men caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18.— Jéssica Soares, nurse overseeing immunization in Maceió
It is important that parents bring children and adolescents to the nearest health unit to receive the HPV vaccination.— Jéssica Soares
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does the second dose matter so much? Can't one shot provide some protection?
The immune system needs that reinforcement. One dose primes the body, but the second dose—six months later—is what locks in the protection. Without it, you're left with partial immunity that fades. It's the difference between being somewhat protected and being truly protected.
And the people who don't come back—do we know why?
The source doesn't say explicitly, but you can imagine it: a teenager forgets, life gets busy, a parent's schedule doesn't align, the clinic is closed that day. It's not that they don't want protection. It's friction. And that friction costs them.
The vaccine works for men too, but cervical cancer is a women's disease. Why vaccinate boys?
Because HPV infects both. Men can develop throat cancer, anal cancer, penile cancer from the same virus. And vaccinating boys breaks the chain of transmission—fewer infected men means fewer women exposed. It's a public health strategy, not just individual protection.
So vaccination isn't the whole answer?
No. It's the foundation. But you still need the Pap smear to catch anything the vaccine missed, and you need condoms to prevent other infections. The vaccine is powerful, but it's one tool in a three-tool kit.
What happens to someone who gets vaccinated but then never gets screened?
They're protected against HPV infection, which is enormous. But if somehow the vaccine didn't work perfectly, or if they encounter a strain it doesn't cover, they'd have no early warning system. The screening test is what catches precancerous changes before they become cancer. Skip both and you're vulnerable.