一位顶尖科学家表示，接种  HPV 疫苗的女性可能一生只需做一次刮片检查，就可以帮助预防宫颈癌。目前在英国，适龄女性每三到五年会被邀请进行一次筛查。

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

几乎所有宫颈癌病例都是由人乳头瘤病毒（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，随着 HPV 疫苗（在英国）的引入，该疾病的预防发生了重大转变。在因接种疫苗而对病毒产生免疫的人群中，宫颈癌的发病率下降了近 90%。

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

英国伦敦国王学院的癌症预防教授彼得·萨西尼表示，宫颈癌检查项目需要尽快作出调整。

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 广播四台的 “Inside Health” 节目上说，目前的疫苗意味着在30岁、40岁和45岁时进行检查即可，而今年推出的更有效的疫苗可能意味着一生只需检查一次。

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.

关于未来宫颈癌检查计划的走向，目前尚未有定论，而且疫苗的保护效果会持续多久，到中年后是否需要打加强针，这些仍是问题。另外，由于几代人都没有对 HPV 的免疫，所以在几十年间需要定期做检查。

词汇表

cases 病例
cervical cancer 宫颈癌
seismic 影响深远的，重大的
vaccine 疫苗
prevention 预防
screening 筛查，检查
effective 有效的
protection 保护
booster 加强针

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

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.