一位頂尖科學家表示，接種  HPV 疫苗的女性可能一生只需做一次刮片檢查，就可以幫助預防宮頸癌。目前在英國，適齡女性每三到五年會被邀請進行一次篩查。

Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are caused by human papillomaviruses, known as HPV.

幾乎所有宮頸癌病例都是由人乳頭瘤病毒（HPV）引起的。

A seismic shift in preventing the disease started in 2008 with the introduction of the HPV vaccine. Cervical cancers have fallen by nearly 90% in those immunised.

2008年，隨著 HPV 疫苗（在英國）的引入，該疾病的預防發生了重大轉變。在因接種疫苗而對病毒產生免疫的人群中，宮頸癌的發病率下降了近 90%。

Peter Sasieni, a professor of cancer prevention at King's College London, says the screening programme needs to adapt soon.

英國倫敦國王學院的癌癥預防教授彼得·薩西尼表示，宮頸癌檢查項目需要盡快作出調整。

He told Inside Health on Radio 4 that current vaccines meant screening at ages 30, 40 and 55 could be appropriate, and that more effective vaccines being introduced this year could mean only one test a lifetime.

他在 BBC 廣播四臺的 “Inside Health” 節目上說，目前的疫苗意味著在30歲、40歲和45歲時進行檢查即可，而今年推出的更有效的疫苗可能意味著一生只需檢查一次。

No decisions have yet been made about the future of screening, and there is still a question of how long protection lasts or if a midlife booster is needed, and regular screening will be needed for decades, due to the generations that have not been immunised.

關于未來宮頸癌檢查計劃的走向，目前尚未有定論，而且疫苗的保護效果會持續多久，到中年后是否需要打加強針，這些仍是問題。另外，由于幾代人都沒有對 HPV 的免疫，所以在幾十年間需要定期做檢查。

詞匯表

cases 病例
cervical cancer 宮頸癌
seismic 影響深遠的，重大的
vaccine 疫苗
prevention 預防
screening 篩查，檢查
effective 有效的
protection 保護
booster 加強針

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. What causes nearly all cervical cancer cases?

2. When was the HPV vaccine introduced in the UK?

3. According to Prof Peter Sasieni, what could more effective vaccines being introduced this year mean?

4. What are some of the questions around the future of cervical screening?

答案  

1. What causes nearly all cervical cancer cases?
HPV causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer.

2. When was the HPV vaccine introduced in the UK?
It was introduced in 2008.

3. According to Prof Peter Sasieni, what could more effective vaccines being introduced this year mean?
It could mean only one test a lifetime.

4. What are some of the questions around the future of cervical screening?
How long protection lasts, if midlife booster is needed, and regular screening will be needed for decades, due to the generations that have not been immunised.