PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Childhood cancer survivors are at high risk for developing new cancers (such as cervical and anal cancer) caused by persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). An effective vaccine exists that can prevent these cancers, but uptake of the HPV vaccine is low among young cancer survivors (fewer than 1 in 4 have received the vaccine). Lack of a healthcare provider recommendation for the HPV vaccine is the most common reason that cancer survivors fail to get the HPV vaccine. Strategies that are most successful in increasing HPV vaccine uptake in the general population focus on improving healthcare provider knowledge about the HPV vaccine, enhancing the skills that healthcare providers need to effectively recommend the vaccine to young people and their parents, and reducing barriers to receiving the vaccine. This proposed research will evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of an evidence-based intervention, adapted for use by healthcare providers in pediatric oncology clinics, to increase the uptake of HPV vaccine among young cancer survivors (9 to 17 years of age and at least one year off-therapy). If the intervention is effective in improving and sustaining increased uptake of the HPV vaccine in young cancer survivors, this study will contribute important information needed to move forward with testing the widespread use of the intervention in pediatric oncology practices. This proposed research addresses improving healthcare delivery and clinical outcomes for cancer survivors through prevention of HPV-associated cancers, which are high-priority research areas for the National Cancer Institute.

PROJECT NARRATIVE The proposed research is relevant to public health because it focuses on increasing the uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in young cancer survivors, a vulnerable population at high risk for developing new cancers (such as cervical and anal cancer) caused by persistent HPV infection. An effective vaccine exists that can prevent these cancers, but HPV vaccine uptake is low among young cancer survivors (fewer than 1 in 4 have received the vaccine). This proposed research will provide important information that can be used to implement new strategies to increase the uptake of the HPV vaccine among young cancer survivors, and thus is relevant to the NIH’s mission to reduce illness and disability.