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ambitious_wenchCervical Cancer Vaccine Is Found Effective
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By DENISE GRADY
Published: October 6, 2005
An experimental vaccine has proved highly effective at preventing cervical cancer in a two-year study involving more than 12,000 women, researchers reported today.
The vaccine works by making people immune to two types of a sexually transmitted virus that cause most cases of the disease.
The vaccine, Gardasil, is made by Merck, which plans to apply for approval to the Food and Drug Administration before the end of this year and, if the vaccine is approved, to market it in 2006.
If it were widely used, the vaccine could save many lives. Worldwide, there are about 500,000 new cases of cervical cancer a year, and 290,000 deaths. Most of the cases and most of the deaths occur in poorer countries where women do not have regular Pap tests, which can detect cancers or precancers early enough for them to be cured. In the United States, where Pap tests are common, 10,400 new cases are expected in 2005, and 3,700 deaths.
"A lot of people are really excited," said Dr. Deborah Saslow, director of breast and gynecological cancer at the American Cancer Society. "This is the first major cancer prevention vaccine. The potential, particularly in the undeveloped world, particularly if they can overcome the logistics and get the vaccine to those women, could be enormous. It could prevent 70 percent to 90 percent of those deaths."
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By DENISE GRADY
Published: October 6, 2005
An experimental vaccine has proved highly effective at preventing cervical cancer in a two-year study involving more than 12,000 women, researchers reported today.
The vaccine works by making people immune to two types of a sexually transmitted virus that cause most cases of the disease.
The vaccine, Gardasil, is made by Merck, which plans to apply for approval to the Food and Drug Administration before the end of this year and, if the vaccine is approved, to market it in 2006.
If it were widely used, the vaccine could save many lives. Worldwide, there are about 500,000 new cases of cervical cancer a year, and 290,000 deaths. Most of the cases and most of the deaths occur in poorer countries where women do not have regular Pap tests, which can detect cancers or precancers early enough for them to be cured. In the United States, where Pap tests are common, 10,400 new cases are expected in 2005, and 3,700 deaths.
"A lot of people are really excited," said Dr. Deborah Saslow, director of breast and gynecological cancer at the American Cancer Society. "This is the first major cancer prevention vaccine. The potential, particularly in the undeveloped world, particularly if they can overcome the logistics and get the vaccine to those women, could be enormous. It could prevent 70 percent to 90 percent of those deaths."
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Date: 2005-10-07 03:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-08 01:16 am (UTC)I note that this appears to prevent HPV infection, so while it'll be marvellous for future generations it's of limited use in a population where an estimated 80% of sexually active people have the virus. I'm wondering whether this is the vaccine involved in the trial I tried to get involved in last year (report here suggests the vaccine was developed in Australia); I think I posted about it, but on talking to the study coordinators, I was told I'd had too many lovers to take part(!?), since they were using that figure to guess probability of prior exposure to the virus.
Definitely not trying to rain on the parade here or anysuch, though - seeing cervical cancer become a non-issue in the future would be marvellous. So I'll be curious to read more as info becomes available - perhaps these shots will eventually become part of the childhood vaccination program?