The HPV Vaccine & Cancer Prevention: Why Every Woman in Gurgaon Needs This — By Dr. Chetna Jain

Every day in India, approximately 200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer — and the majority of these cases could have been prevented with a single vaccine. As a gynaecologist who has sat with women receiving devastating cancer diagnoses that arrived years, sometimes decades, after a preventable infection took hold — I cannot overstate how important it is to have this conversation clearly, urgently, and without delay.

I am Dr. Chetna Jain, a senior obstetrician and gynaecologist practising in Gurgaon, and in this blog I want to talk about one of the most powerful cancer-prevention tools available to women in India today: the HPV vaccine.

What Is HPV and Why Does It Matter for Women's Cancer Risk?

Human Papillomavirus — HPV — is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. There are over 200 strains of HPV, of which approximately 14 are classified as high-risk — meaning they have the capacity to cause cancer. The most dangerous are HPV 16 and HPV 18, responsible for approximately 70 percent of all cervical cancers worldwide. HPV is transmitted through skin-to-skin sexual contact and is so widespread that the majority of sexually active adults will contract at least one strain during their lifetime. In most people, the immune system clears it naturally. But in some women, high-risk strains persist — driving the development of pre-cancerous and cancerous changes in the cervix, vagina, and vulva.

Which Cancers Is HPV Linked To — Including the Ovarian Cancer Connection

HPV is causally linked to cervical cancer — nearly 99 percent of all cases — as well as vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, anal cancer, and oropharyngeal cancers. Cervical cancer alone kills approximately 77,000 Indian women every year, making it one of India's deadliest preventable diseases.

Regarding ovarian cancer: while HPV is not currently classified as a direct cause of ovarian cancer, emerging research published in 2024 and 2025 has identified HPV DNA in ovarian tumour tissue in a subset of cases, suggesting a possible association that is actively under investigation. The broader inflammatory and immune-suppressive effects of persistent HPV infection may also create conditions that facilitate other gynaecological malignancies. The case for universal HPV vaccination as broad gynaecological cancer protection has never been stronger.

How the HPV Vaccine Works

The HPV vaccine triggers the immune system to produce antibodies against specific HPV strains before any exposure to the virus occurs. It does not contain live virus — it cannot cause HPV infection. It is one of the most rigorously studied vaccines in medical history, with over 15 years of post-market safety data from hundreds of millions of doses administered globally. In India, the available vaccines include Cervarix (bivalent), Gardasil 4 (quadrivalent), and Gardasil 9 (nine-valent — the broadest protection available and my preferred recommendation for eligible patients at my clinic in Gurgaon).

Who Should Get the HPV Vaccine — And When?

Girls aged 9 to 14 — The Ideal Window

The vaccine is most effective when given before any exposure to HPV — before the onset of sexual activity. The immune response in pre-adolescent girls is also significantly stronger, so two doses provide robust, long-lasting protection. This is the most impactful window for vaccination, and I strongly encourage all parents of daughters in this age group across Palam Vihar and Gurgaon to prioritise this without delay.

Women aged 15 to 45 — Still Highly Beneficial

One of the most persistent and harmful myths about the HPV vaccine is that it is only for young girls or those who are not sexually active. This is categorically false. Women who are sexually active can still benefit significantly, because the vaccine protects against strains to which they have not yet been exposed — and most women have not encountered all strains covered. India's national programme and the Indian Academy of Gynaecology both recommend HPV vaccination for women up to the age of 45. I routinely vaccinate women of all ages in this range at my clinic in Gurgaon.

Does Getting Vaccinated Mean I Can Skip Pap Smears?

Absolutely not. The HPV vaccine does not protect against all high-risk strains, and does not address strains you may have been exposed to prior to vaccination. Regular Pap smears and HPV testing remain essential for all vaccinated women from the age of 21. Vaccination and screening are complementary tools — not interchangeable. Together they offer the most comprehensive protection against gynaecological cancers.

Is the HPV Vaccine Safe? The Evidence Is Clear

The HPV vaccine has one of the most extensive safety records of any vaccine ever developed. Side effects are almost always mild and temporary — soreness at the injection site, a mild headache, or a low-grade fever for one to two days. The vaccine does not contain live virus, cannot cause HPV infection, and does not affect fertility. Concerns about fertility damage, early menopause, or autoimmune conditions have been comprehensively investigated and conclusively refuted by the WHO, the CDC, and the European Medicines Agency. As a gynaecologist who has vaccinated many of her own patients and witnessed at close range the suffering caused by HPV-related cancers, I recommend this vaccine with complete clinical confidence.

My Experience: What I Have Seen in My Clinic Drives Everything I Believe About This Vaccine

I have sat across from women in their 30s and 40s receiving cervical cancer diagnoses — women who were never vaccinated and never screened. I have seen the fear in their eyes and the devastation in their families. And I have thought, every single time: this was preventable. A vaccine and a Pap smear. That is all it would have taken.

When a mother brings her 11-year-old daughter to my clinic in Gurgaon for the HPV vaccine, I tell her she has given her daughter one of the greatest gifts she will ever give her. When a 35-year-old woman asks if it is too late, I tell her it is not — and I vaccinate her that same visit. The HPV vaccine is not controversial. It is not experimental. It is not for a specific type of woman. It is for every woman — and the earlier she receives it, the more powerful its protection.

Book Your HPV Vaccination at Dr. Chetna Jain's Clinic in Gurgaon Today

The HPV vaccine is available at my clinic in Gurgaon, serving patients from Palam Vihar, New Palam Vihar, DLF, South City, Sector 22, Sector 23, Bajghera, and all of NCR. I offer vaccination for girls and women aged 9 to 45, alongside comprehensive cervical cancer screening — Pap smears and HPV DNA testing — as part of a complete preventive gynaecological care package.

If you have a daughter between 9 and 14 — bring her in. If you are between 15 and 45 and have not yet been vaccinated — book your appointment now. Cancer prevention is not passive. It is a choice. And it is a choice you can make today.

— Dr. Chetna Jain | Senior Gynaecologist & Obstetrician | Gurgaon, Haryana