Deaths from cervical cancer are decreasing among young women in the U.S. Scientists believe a vaccine is saving many lives.
In the last ten years, data shows a 62 percent drop in cervical cancer deaths in women under 25.
Ashish Deshmukh, from the Medical University of South Carolina, says the vaccine called Gardasil is the reason for this change.
His research did not separate women who got the vaccine from those who did not. But Deshmukh says they cannot think of another reason for such a big drop in deaths.
In the past, cervical cancer was a serious problem. The Gardasil vaccine was approved in 2006 to protect young girls from the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes most cases of cervical cancer.
Before the vaccine, 55 young women died from cervical cancer for every 100,000 people. Now, that number is down to 13.
The study shows improving HPV vaccination is very important. The vaccine can also help boys and older women.
The study was published in JAMA.
