Call for wider EU-backed HPV vaccine
Vaccination and testing for the human papilloma virus could eradicate cervical cancer – but the EU and national governments should be taking action now.
Cervical cancer could be eradicated within the next 50 years if countries implement national screening programmes based on detection of the human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes the disease, together with vaccination programmes against the virus, according to a cervical cancer screening expert.
Professor Jack Cuzick told Europe’s largest cancer congress, ECCO 15 – ESMO 34, in Berlin today (Thursday 24 September) that while the current HPV vaccines protect against two cancer-causing strains of the HPV virus, soon there would be vaccines available that protect against nine types. If vaccination were to be combined with HPV screening (which is much more sensitive than the currently used Pap smear test), then eventually the cancer would disappear in those countries that had successfully implemented national programmes. However, this would require political will and effort at both national and European level.
Read the whole article at ecancermedicalscience
Keywords: human papilloma virus, cervical cancer, HPV vaccine, Pap smear test
24. 9. 2009 ecancermedicalscience
