New Vaccination against cervical cancer

By: Dr. Phil Aaron

The day has come when we now have a vaccination against one of the world’s most deadly forms of cancer. Cervical cancer used to be a common form of cancer. Through the use of pap smear screenings many cervical cancer cases have been identified; the number of women developing cervical cancer in the United States every year is around 10,000 women, of these about 4,000 women die. Worldwide over 400,000 women develop cervical cancer annually; approximately 300,000 women die each year of cervical cancer; it is the number two cancer killer in women…

A new vaccine developed by researchers at the University of Louisville School of Medicine Brown Cancer Center is nearly 100% effective in preventing cervical cancer. It has only recently become available to young women and it has been recommended that the vaccine be given in three (3) doses starting at ages nine (9) through twenty-six (26) years. Cervical cancer is caused by the human papilloma virus, a sexually transmitted virus which is present in all individuals who are sexually active. The key to the treatment and perhaps eradication of cervical cancer in the United States and in the world is to vaccinate young women before they become sexually active. Those who are already sexually active must be followed for a lifetime through pap smears.

For the past 17 to 20 years HPV infections have been very common. These viruses are passed from person to person through sexual contact. Most adults have been infected with HPV at some time in their lives. The extent of the infections can be found by a physician through the use of a pap smear.

It is perhaps fitting that this new cancer prevention program in Adair County be named in honor of Virgie Claycomb, R.N., BS, A.R.N.P., former director of the Adair County Health Department. Virgie has spent her life dealing with female medical problems such as performing pap smears in an effort to prevent cervical cancer. According to Virgie “this is an unbelievable development. To think we can now through vaccination prevent young women from developing cervical cancer is as significant as sending a man to the moon. I will be spending time in the schools of Adair County talking with groups answering questions about this new Gardasil vaccine. My whole professional life has been spent in working toward the elimination of cancer in women. To think that we can now eliminate cancer is such an awesome advance. Had we had this vaccine when I started my practice, we could have eliminated many cases of cervical cancer. I would hope that all young women in Adair County ages nine (9) through twenty-six (26) who have not yet become sexually active consider Gardasil vaccination.”

The vaccine blocks four (4) strains of the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus. This virus, commonly called HPV is the most common transmitted disease in our country with about 20 million people affected.

This vaccination is the biggest advance in preventing cervical cancer since the pap test and is a ground breaking step forward in the fight against cancer. Gardasil is the first vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. In this issue two young women, Brittany Tucker from Adair County, and Leigh Foley from Russell County state that they desire to be vaccinated and that they desire to forego sex until they become married. Thus, we believe there are many young women in South Central Kentucky who desire to be protected from cervical cancer through the vaccination and who desire to put off sexual activity.

Decisions about sexual health are tied up in personal values, therefore, parents in our vaccination program have the right to transmit their thoughts and rights to their children.

The cost of Gardasil presents public health agencies with a challenge because this vaccine is expensive. Gardasil must be administered in three (3) injections over the course of six (6) months. On the national level, the Center for Disease Control is recommending federal subsidies to make Gardasil available to poor families. We have contacted the Kentucky Department of Human Resources Division of Medicaid Services as well as the Federal Vaccines for Children program. Kentucky Governor, Dr. Ernie Fletcher has promised to work with health providers to make this vaccine available to young women who have no insurance coverage. In Australia the government is paying for the cost of vaccination of all young women in that country. Hopefully, we can eventually copy Australia and vaccinate all Americans.

Doctors Bennett Jenson and Shin-Je Ghim who currently work at University of Louisville’s James Graham Brown Cancer Center were part of the cancer research team that invented the vaccine. A father’s love for his daughters and a woman’s love for her country led these two Louisville researchers to make this much heralded medical breakthrough – the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine. Dr. A. Bennett Jenson wanted to protect his three daughters from the deadly disease. Dr. Shin-Je Ghim wanted to help women in her native South Korea where so many were dying. These researchers are continuing to work to create yet a cheaper version, another vaccine to treat cervical cancer with the ultimate goal of wiping out cervical cancer.

Dr. Paige Hertweck, director of Pediatric Adolescent Gynecology at the University of Louisville says, “This is actually medical history in the making." Drs. Jenson and Ghim began working on the vaccine in 1989 cutting the gene from the papilloma virus DNA infecting the cell ensuring that this gene/protein will be absent.

The existence of this vaccine is certainly a major breakthrough. Physicians and scientists work all their professional lives to develop something to make a difference. It’s wonderful!