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Vaccine may prevent common form of cancer By Diana Davis, Health News 2 reporter
Scientists announced today that early tests show an experimental vaccine is 100 percent effective in preventing the virus that causes cervical cancer. The vaccine seems to prevent a strain of the sexually transmitted disease called the human papilloma virus. It's responsible for at least half of all cases of cervical cancer. Millions of American women are infected with the virus, but don't realize it. The idea is vaccinating those women before they become sexually active could virtually wipe out cervical cancer. "Its exciting because we're looking for the vaccine we can vaccinate patients prior to becoming sexually active and prevent the development of cervical cancer," said Dr. Michael Randell. More than 1,500 women were tested. Of 768 who got the vaccine, none got HPV infections or showed pre-cancerous changes in the cervix. . Of the other 765 tested, 41 percent came down with persistent infections and nine developed pre -cancerous cervical tissue. The only hitch? For now there is a vaccine for only one type of the virus. "So, if we had a vaccine that covered all types of hpv, the high risk cervical cancer causing types, then we should probably be able to reduce the incidence of cervical caner by maybe 85- 90 percent -- not to mention the probably about 40 to 50 percent the incidence of abnormal pap smears," Dr. Randell said. Still unanswered, how long would the vaccine last and would w omen need to be re-vaccinated to get life long protection? To work, the vaccine would most likely have to be given to young women. "At this point, we're looking at vaccinating individuals prior to beginning sexual activity," said Dr. Randell.
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