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Cervical Cancer was once the 2nd leading cancer in the United States for women.
It is now the 11th.
Genital HPV was sequenced 25 years ago and only 10 years ago was HPV recognized as a cause for cancer.
In 2006 most studies have shown that quadrivalent HPV vaccine is 100% effective in treating CIN 2/3 cervical dysplasia and stopping cancer.
Most studies anticipate a steady decline in abnormal pap smears, colposcopies and cervical treatments with the introduction of vaccines against the 2 most common HPV types (16, 18).
Caveats to these findings include the unknown duration of protection, the fact that vaccination against one strain of HPV does not provide immunity against other strains, and that the vaccine does not help reverse HPV-16 related dysplasia once it has developed.
Merck and GlaxoSmithKline are currently competing to bring to market a combination vaccine. Merck's will be called "Gardisil", and will vaccinate against HPV-16 and HPV-18 (together, they account for 70-80% of cervical cancer), in addition to HPV-6 and HPV-11 (which account for most cases of external genital warts). GSK's product will be called "Cervarix" and will vaccinate against HPV-16 and HPV-18. Both companies intend to market the product for use mainly in pre-adolescent girls, prior to the onset of sexual activity and HPV exposure. However, a case can be made that everyone should be vaccinated: sexually active people of any age are at risk for HPV infection, and HPV has oncogenic potential not only for the cervix, but also for the vulva, penis, anus, larynx, nasopharynx, and possibly elsewhere.
Just as the hepatitis B vaccine has been instrumental in the dramatic decline in hepatitis B infection and hepatocellular carcinoma in Asia over the last few decades, there is promise that in our lifetime, a HPV vaccine will bring an end to an infection and cancer that kills nearly a quarter of a million women each year.
Merck and GlaxoSmithKline are currently competing to bring to market a combination vaccine. Merck's will be called "Gardisil", and will vaccinate against HPV-16 and HPV-18 (together, they account for 70-80% of cervical cancer), in addition to HPV-6 and HPV-11 (which account for most cases of external genital warts). GSK's product will be called "Cervarix" and will vaccinate against HPV-16 and HPV-18. Both companies intend to market the product for use mainly in pre-adolescent girls, prior to the onset of sexual activity and HPV exposure. However, a case can be made that everyone should be vaccinated: sexually active people of any age are at risk for HPV infection, and HPV has oncogenic potential not only for the cervix, but also for the vulva, penis, anus, larynx, nasopharynx, and possibly elsewhere.
Just as the hepatitis B vaccine has been instrumental in the dramatic decline in hepatitis B infection and hepatocellular carcinoma in Asia over the last few decades, there is promise that in our lifetime, a HPV vaccine will bring an end to an infection and cancer that kills nearly a quarter of a million women each year.