Cervical Cancer Vaccine Reported To Be 100 Percent Effective, But Eradication Is Still A Long Way Of
by George McKenzie
The first large study of the experimental cervical cancer vaccine found it
was 100 percent effective, at least in the short term, at blocking the most
common forms of cervical cancer.
The cervical cancer vaccine, known as Gardasil, is a genetically engineered
vaccine which prevents cervical cancer by blocking infection with two viruses
called HPV 16 and 18. These two virus together cause about 70 percent of
cervical cancers.
The final-stage study of the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil included more
than 10,000 women ages 16 to 26 in the United States and 12 other countries. All
were sexually active and were not infected with HPV 16 or 18. Half got three
vaccine doses over six monthsthe other half received dummy shots.
After six months, none of the women who were virus free and who received the
vaccine developed either cervical cancer or precancerous lesions likely to turn
cancerous during a two year follow up. Twenty one women who got the dummy shots
had a virus.
Merck & Co., the developer, jubilantly announced the results of their
cervical cancer vaccine research on October 6th, 2005, saying that a 100%
efficacy rate is extremely rare.
A second analysis was also done, this time involving hundreds more women. It
showed that the vaccine was 97 percent effective after just one dose. Only one
of the 5,736 women who got the vaccine developed cervical cancer or precancerous
lesions, compared with 36 among the 5,766 who got dummy shots.
A Merck official called the 97 percent rate "real world," since patients
sometimes miss or delay follow-up shots or tests. Therefore, even though the
vaccine is available, some women may not get it before they contract the
disease.
"I see this as a phenomenal breakthrough," said Dr. Gloria Bachmann, director
of The Women's Health Institute at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New
Jersey.
But she added that vaccinations would have to begin early to have maximum
impact. "In grammar school, middle school, high school, before girls become
sexually active," she said.
Dr. Kevin Ault, a professor at Emory University, told CNN, "We are talking
about maybe a generation or two of women to receive this vaccine before we get
to no more pap smears. I guess the best example I could give you would be German
measles... That vaccine became available in the late '60s in the United States,
and it was just last year that our colleagues at the CDC reported that there
were no cases of congenital rubella in the United States."
Numerous health officials warned that women will still need to have reular
checkups and pap smears.
NBC News has reported that some religious groups fear that the availability
of a cervical cancer vaccine will lessen the worry of contracting the disease
and lead to increased sexual activity.
Cervical cancer is the second-most common cancer in women and their No. 2
cause of cancer deaths. About three thousand women die of cervical cancer in the
U.S. each year, and about three hundred thousand women around the world are
cervical cancer victims.
For additional information, including symptoms of cervical cancer and options
for cervical cancer prevention and cervical cancer treatment, click on
http://www.cervicalcancervaccine.us
George McKenzie is a freelance writer
and CEO of Mastermind Learning Systems http://www.mastermindlearning.com He's a former TV news anchor
and radio talk show host.
