HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer
MIL, Nov 13, 2004. Special Correspondent
London - A vaccination against a normal cancer-causing strains of human papillomavirus prevents the recurring infections that causes cervical cancer, researchers report according to Lancet, the British journal.
According to Dr. Diane Harper of Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth – Hitchcock Medical Center, this research was based on international trial. It is the first test where a single vaccine shows it can target two strains of the human papillornavirus (HPV).
He said in his press release, "This is extremely exciting and encouraging. We believe this shows enormous potential to eradicate the great majority of cervical cancers worldwide." Our trial results showed a high degree of safety, with no adverse effects to the participants. It produced highly significant and complete protection against persistent infection. This has enormous implications for women worldwide, and for our health system, which annually spends billions of dollars on cervical screening programs."
The co-author of the study Dr. Daron G. Ferris, who directs the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Center at the Medical College of Georgia said "It has two important aspects to note, it prevents cervical cancer in women on one hand and at the same time, it carries implications for containing the spread of these infectious viruses.
"This is a tremendous advancement for women in particular, although it's likely the vaccine will one day be given to men as well," Ferris said of the vaccine that protects against HPV types 16 and 18, which also cause penile cancer.
According to the reporting of Cancerfact.com, there was a trial of 1,113 women aged 15 to 25 in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. They were randomly assigned to receive three doses of the vaccine or a placebo for six months. After an average of 27 months of follow-up, among those women who completed all three shots the vaccine was 100 percent effective against persistent HPV16, HPV18 infections.
The news adds that in those women who did not complete the regimen and only received one or two of the three shots or who did not complete all scheduled follow-up appointments also received significant protection from infection. In that group, the vaccine proved 95 percent effective against persistent HPV infection and 93 percent against cell abnormalities associated with infection, and complete protection from cervical tissue changes due to HPV16 and HPV18 infections.
According to the data given in the report, it said, that the 15-25-year-old age group in the study has the highest incidence of HPV infection with a lifetime risk for HPV infection of about 80 percent in men and women. For that reason, Ferris thinks that should the FDA approve these vaccines for general use, the target audience likely would be girls and boys age 10 to 12 who are not yet sexually active.
Recruitment for a larger, comparison trial of the vaccine to gain FDA approval is now under way at multiple sites. "We hope these results will encourage women to sign up for this trial" Norris said.
Women who meet the criteria and are interested in participating can get more information on the trial, by e-mail at vaccine@Dartmouth.edu or by calling Lisa Matthews at 603-653-3692.
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