Optimistic Report on Cervical Cancer
Good news, published in the UK's Telegraph:
A 2007 study found that 45 percent of American women aged 20-24 tested positive for HPV infection, and it is widely believed that most people are infected with it at some point in their lives. The infection often presents no symptoms and clears up without treatment, but certain of the approximately one hundred known strains of the virus are strongly associated with cervical cancer. It is great to see medical science knocking out a killer like this.
The cervical cancer vaccine will reduce rates of the disease in women under 30 by two thirds within 15 years, experts have predicted.
Based on current uptake rates of the cervical cancer vaccine, cases of the disease will be cut by around 63 per cent by 2025.
Around eight in ten girls eligible for the vaccine are accepting it, meaning by the time they reach 30 years of age, cancer rates will have started to drop, a study published in the British Journal of Cancer found.
Girls aged 12 and 13 are being offered Cervarix, which protects against two strains of the human papilloma virus which causes cervical cancer.
It had been thought that seven out of ten cases of cervical cancer could be avoided through the vaccination programme but this was based on 100 per cent take up.
The programme has been running for a year with uptake at 80 per cent, meaning the number of cases prevented initially is lower but is expected to rise to seven out of ten in the long-term, a spokesman for Cancer Research UK said. Cervical cancer vaccine will cut cases by two thirds, experts calculate
A 2007 study found that 45 percent of American women aged 20-24 tested positive for HPV infection, and it is widely believed that most people are infected with it at some point in their lives. The infection often presents no symptoms and clears up without treatment, but certain of the approximately one hundred known strains of the virus are strongly associated with cervical cancer. It is great to see medical science knocking out a killer like this.
posted by JimK at 6:43 AM
9 Comments:
Now they need to have it for boys.
from a guy that thinks we need make-up for boys, too
The CDC agrees with Robert and so do I. Boys deserve to be protected from the cancerous consequences of HPV just as much as girls do.
How do people get HPV?
HPV is passed on through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sex. HPV may also be passed on during oral sex and genital-to-genital contact. HPV can be passed on between straight and same-sex partners—even when the infected partner has no signs or symptoms...
How can people prevent HPV:
There are several ways that people can lower their chances of getting HPV:
Vaccines can protect males and females against some of the most common types of HPV. These vaccines are given in three shots. It is important to get all three doses to get the best protection. The vaccines are most effective when given before a person's first sexual contact, when he or she could be exposed to HPV.
Girls and women: Two vaccines (Cervarix and Gardasil) are available to protect females against the types of HPV that cause most cervical cancers. One of these vaccines (Gardasil) also protects against most genital warts. Both vaccines are recommended for 11 and 12 year-old girls, and for females 13 through 26 years of age, who did not get any or all of the shots when they were younger. These vaccines can also be given to girls as young as 9 years of age. It is recommended that females get the same vaccine brand for all three doses, whenever possible.
Boys and men: One available vaccine (Gardasil) protects males against most genital warts. This vaccine is available for boys and men, 9 through 26 years of age...
How can people prevent HPV-related disease?
There are ways to prevent the possible health effects of HPV, including the two most common problems: genital warts and cervical cancer.
Preventing genital warts: A vaccine (Gardasil) is available to protect against most genital warts in males and females (see above).
Preventing Cervical Cancer: There are two vaccines (Cervarix and Gardasil) that can protect women against most cervical cancers (see above). Cervical cancer can also be prevented with routine cervical cancer screening and follow-up of abnormal results. The Pap test can find abnormal cells on the cervix so that they can be removed before cancer develops. An HPV DNA test, which can find HPV on a woman's cervix, may also be used with a Pap test in certain cases. Even women who got the vaccine when they were younger need regular cervical cancer screening because the vaccine does not protect against all cervical cancers.
Preventing Anal and Penile Cancers: There is no approved screening test to find early signs of penile or anal cancer. Some experts recommend yearly anal Pap tests to screen for anal cancer in gay and bisexual men and in HIV-positive persons. This is because anal cancer is more common in those populations. These tests are not routinely recommended for anal cancer screening because more information is still needed to find out if they are effective.
Preventing Head and Neck Cancers: There is no approved test to find early signs of head and neck cancer, but tests are available by specialized doctors for persons with possible symptoms of these cancers. [see www.cancer.org]
Preventing RRP: Cesarean delivery is not recommended for women with genital warts to prevent RRP in their babies. This is because it is not clear that cesarean delivery prevents RRP in infants and children.
A person can have HPV even if years have passed since he or she had sexual contact with an infected person. Most infected persons do not realize they are infected or that they are passing the virus on to a sex partner. It is also possible to get more than one type of HPV.
Very rarely, a pregnant woman with genital HPV can pass HPV to her baby during delivery. In these cases, the child can develop RRP.
hey, look what anon-B admitted:
"experts recommend yearly anal Pap tests to screen for anal cancer in gay and bisexual men and in HIV-positive persons. This is because anal cancer is more common in those populations."
You got me Anone!
I admit that I believe the CDC produces good information and that Americans' health would improve if we all followed their advice.
and that gays do alot of more anal sex than anyone else!
Is that what you *think* Anone?
The fact is that more women are diagnosed with anal cancers than men.
The National Cancer Institute reports:
It is estimated that 5,290 men and women (2,100 men and 3,190 women) will be diagnosed with and 710 men and women will die of cancer of the anus, anal canal, and anorectum in 2009.
"experts recommend yearly anal Pap tests to screen for anal cancer in gay and bisexual men and in HIV-positive persons. This is because anal cancer is more common in those populations."
Repeating statements without analysis -- in an OCD-type way -- doesn't do any good.
Vigilance readers realize *thinking* and *figuring things out* are not your fortes, but let's see what we can do.
How can the CDC's statement be reconciled with their data?
We know that many cancers occur at higher rates in the HIV/AIDS population, which includes gay and straight men and women.
Do you think there's proof that anal sex causes anal cancer?
Why do you suppose more women get diagnosed with anal cancer than gay and straight men combined?
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