Cervical Cancer News Information Links

Safety concerns about Gardasil HPV vaccine continue

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:50:00 +0000

Kansas City, MO

Since the introduction of Gardasil HPV vaccine, the FDA has reported forty seven deaths. Gardasil was approved in 2007. Cervical cancer is caused by HPV (human papillomavirus) and is easily spread. Adverse events from Gardasil in 2008 totaled 6,273, and 147 were reported at “life threatening”.

The report comes from Judicial Watch, a public interest group that monitors government corruption, obtained from the FDA. According to President Tom Fitton, "The already serious problems associated with Gardasil seem to be getting worse. No one should require this vaccine for young children."

Adverse events associated with Gardasil vaccine include cervical cancer that developed fifteen months after receiving the HPV vaccine, Guillain- Barre Syndrome after the second vaccine was given, and the death of a nineteen year old girl eleven days after receiving HPV vaccine.

The following is extracted from the FDA report: "After receiving her second dose of GARDASIL … she could crawl but … needed to use crutches or a wheel chair ... She was experienced problems breathing and had ‘super migraines' that never went away … She had swelling in her face, jaw and wrists. The patient was diagnosed with GUILLAIN-BARRE syndrome, myelin sheath degeneration and peripheral neuropathy. Patient was hospitalized twice … patient has not recovered from symptoms." Twenty nine new cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome have been seen since June 2008 in association with HPV vaccine.

Among pregnant women, 147 women who received Gardasil experienced spontaneous abortion. Genital warts developed 62 girls after the vaccine was given, appearing in other parts of the body including the hands, face and feet. One girl developed warts all over her body.

Forty one deaths occurred within one month, reported in association with Gardasil, and of those, seventeen occurred within two weeks. The cause of death is still not known.

Fitton says, "The FDA is supposed to be a guardian of public health, and yet the agency continues to turn a blind eye to what seems to be an extremely serious public health problem. The public relations push for Gardasil by Merck, politicians and public health officials needs to pause so that these adverse reactions can be further studied."

Concerns about the safety of Gardasil are not new. This year the manufacturer asked the FDA for approval of the vaccine for use in young males. The FDA is considering approval So far, twenty five percent of young women, age 9 to 26 have been vaccinated.

A mathematical study, published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggested that vaccinating young women with Gardasil would be less cost effective than screening programs for cervical cancer. The cost of receiving HPV vaccine ranges from $500 to $900, and may not be covered by insurance.

Merck, the manufacturer of Gardasil responded to initial concerns about adverse events with the following statement: "Merck has analyzed the adverse events reported for Gardasil relating to the recent reports of death and paralysis, and based on the data available to Merck, believes that no safety issue related to the vaccine has been identified. These types of events are events that could also be seen in the general population."

An article published July 2008 about Gardasil safety concerns disappeared from Medscape after editorial review, and was replaced with more positive findings. You can read the original, article titled ”HPV Vaccine Adverse Events Worrisome Says Key Investigator” at Beyond Conformity. The article was replaced with “HPV Vaccine Deemed Safe and Effective, Despite Reports of Adverse Events”, and can be viewed here.

Gardasil vaccine continues to raise concerns. The medical community voiced those concerns last year, but the manufacturer of the vaccine assured the public the vaccine is safe. Judicial Watch is encouraging public health officials to step back and take a closer look at the safety concerns, and growing number of adverse events associated with Gardasil.

Diane Harper, MD, professor of community and family medicine/obstetrics and gynecology at Dartmouth Medical School, in Hanover, New Hampshire, and director of the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Research Group at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center took part in the Gardasil clinical trials. Dr. Harper advised last year, "if you are at all concerned, then don't have the vaccine — have regular Pap smears and you will be equally protected from cervical cancer."

Escalating reports of Gardasil side effects and safety will continue to raise concerns. No one knows the long term outcomes of the Gardasil vaccine. The message to all women is, engage in regular visits to your gynecologist for cervical cancer screening. Please share your views or personal experience.

Failure to Diagnose Cervical Cancer Malpractice Lawsuits

Budget woes puts free breast and cervical exams on chopping block in Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:32:00 +0000

Chicago, IL

The Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program will have to cut more than half of its services if an income tax increase does not occur, reports Chi-Town Daily News. The state and federally funded program gives free breast screenings and mammograms for women over 40, cervical exams for women over 35 and cancer treatment to eligible women. With expected budget cuts, the program stands to lose $9 million. More than 36,000 uninsured women in Illinois, a third of which are from Chicago, benefit from the program; more than 21,000 would no longer receive services.

Without the program, many women will delay screening or avoid treatment, said Dr. David Ansell, chief medical officer at Rush University Medical Center, and chairman of the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force. Many health programs like the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program stand to lose funding in the 2010 budget approved by the General Assembly that has yet to be signed by Gov. Pat Quinn. The budget lacks an income tax increase the governor said would save human and health services in the state. Lawmakers will continue battling over the budget and Quinn's proposed tax hike in a special session this Tuesday.

Chicago Cervical Cancer Malpractice Lawyers

Cervical cancer spot turns theatre into giant cervix

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:15:00 +0000

Find more videos like this on AdGabber

Vancouver, BC

It's not as bad as it sounds. To encourage women to get regular Pap smears, and to promote its Cervical Cancer Screening Program, BC Cancer Agency partnered with Cineplex Odeon Theatres to air "Eye of the Cervix" in theatres.

Friendly enough ad. The curtain opens to reveal a pretty, congenial doctor. She asks if we're comfortable, does a quick swab and decisively says, "And we're done."

Closing lines bring it home: "It doesn't take long to prevent cervical cancer. Remember to have regular Pap tests."

We like it just fine, and it even made us feel productive, but here's where wanky boyfriends turn to their partners and go, "When was the last time you got checked?"

Pap Test Malpractice Lawsuits

National Cancer Insitutue: Treatment regimen extends survival for women with cervical cancer

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:02:00 +0000

Bethesda, MD

Making the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine part of the initial treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer and also part of therapy following primary treatment significantly improved survival for women with locally advanced cervical cancer, according to the results of an international, phase III clinical trial.

Presented recently at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, the results have important implications for the treatment of women with cervical cancer in developing countries, where 70 to 80 percent of women are diagnosed at a locally advanced stage due to a lack of widespread screening programs, said lead investigator Dr. Alfonso Dueñas-González of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico.

More than 500 women with stage IIB to stage IVA cervical cancer—from countries as disparate as Pakistan and Panama—participated in the trial. They were randomly assigned to the experimental treatment arm, which included cisplatin and gemcitabine with concurrent external-beam radiation therapy, followed by brachytherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin. Women in the standard treatment group received cisplatin and concurrent external-beam radiation therapy followed only by brachytherapy.

Approximately 75 percent of women who received the experimental treatment did not experience progression of their disease 3 years after treatment, compared with 65 percent of women who received standard treatment. Overall survival was improved by more than 40 percent, the researchers reported. The research team had expected more toxicity with the addition of gemcitabine, and that is what they saw.

"Overall, the frequency of grade III and IV toxicities was higher in the experimental arm, mainly hematological toxicity," Dr. Dueñas-González said. Grade IV toxicities were low overall, he added, and generally toxicities in the experimental arm were "tolerable and manageable."

The trial "in all likelihood defines a new standard of care" for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, said Dr. Eric Winer, chief of the Division of Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Standard Treatment for Anal Cancer Confirmed

The largest clinical study of patients with anal cancer has found that the current standard treatment should not be changed. In addition, patients in the study did not benefit from maintenance chemotherapy that was designed to prevent a recurrence, according to the ACT II study, a phase III, randomized trial involving 940 patients.

Most of the 5,000 patients diagnosed with anal cancer in the United States each year have the squamous cell type, which often responds to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. For a decade, the treatment for anal cancer has been radiation plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin-C chemotherapy. In this trial, British researchers asked whether replacing mitomycin-C with cisplatin could improve results for patients, but the answer was no. Furthermore, patients did not benefit from maintenance chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-FU.

Overall, however, the patients had very good results relative to the international trials published to date, noted Dr. Roger James of the Maidstone Hospital in Kent, who presented the findings at the recent ASCO annual meeting. At 6 months, 95 percent of patients in both groups had all signs of cancer disappear, and at 3 years, nearly 85 percent of the patients in the trial were alive.

Cisplatin was evaluated because it is commonly used to treat other squamous cell cancers, the researchers said, noting that it is not as convenient to deliver and has different toxicities than mitomycin-C chemotherapy. Future trials will likely ask whether certain patients might benefit from other forms of maintenance therapy.

Misread Pap Test Malpractice Lawsuits

Green tea studied in search to stop cervical cancer

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:16:00 +0000

Tuscon, AZ

The group of viruses known as HPV is a known cause of cervical cancer. It’s also the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. It’s estimated that half of all sexually active Americans will contract HPV during their lifetime and at any given time approximately 20,000,000 people in the United States are carrying the disease.

Most people who get HPV clear the infection on their own, but some people have persistent HPV which can lead to precancerous lesions and other damage to a woman’s cervix. Although the Food and Drug administration approved Gardasil, a vaccine for the virus, in 2006, it cannot be given to women who have already been infected, even if the disease in no longer present in their bodies.

Up until now, all known treatment for persistent HPV have been painful and invasive, involving freezing or surgical removal of part of the woman’s cervix. Both procedures also make it difficult for a pregnant woman to carry a baby to full term. This has lead scientists to search for a better, less invasive method of stopping HPV before it causes the precancerous lesions.

Now Arizona Cancer Center is testing a green tea extract known as Polyphenon E, to see if it is effective against HPV. The $1 million clinical trial will include 150 women in Arizona, California, and North Carolina, all of whom currently are currently infected with HPV. Half of the women will be given a placebo. The other have will be given 800-milligram capsules of green tea extract. This is about the same amount of green tea flavonoids one would receive from drinking approximately 8 cups a day of green tea.

According to Wendy Thomas, research specialist at the Arizona Cancer Center, which is affiliated with the University of Arizona, “Finally we will have a yes or a no. And it may not work, but at least we will know."

The study is being funded by National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Prevention.

Cervical cancer- shame and fear?

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:02:00 +0000

Seattle, WA

Thanks to the new HPV commercials the general public is now aware that cervical cancer can be caused by an STD. They urge more people to be tested and vaccinated, yet now that it has been added to the ‘dirty disease’ category like HIV and AIDS will less women be tested or comfortably admit their diagnosis? It’s sad that we live in a judgmental world. Cancer is cancer no matter where it is on your body. Breast cancer carried the same hush-hush stigma not so long ago and more women lost their lives going undiagnosed or diagnosed too late.

Not all patients with cervical cancer had HPV. In the words of a 33 year old woman who underwent a radical hysterectomy to save her life, “I have no family history of cervical cancer; I’ve never had any STDs; I haven’t had multiple sex partners; and I don’t HPV. Perhaps, when people are aware that one has cervical cancer, they won't look at it as being a "dirty woman" disease like my family did.”

No one deserves cancer. No one battling cancer deserves to be treated with anything but love and compassion. Remember, any STD can occur with just one time, just one partner. Yes, the risk increases with more partners but the reality of infidelity, or an unknowing infected partner can lead to HPV.

The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance advises, “Regular Pap tests are important to your survival: about 90 percent of women whose cervical cancer was detected by a Pap test will survive. The figure is much lower--only 40 percent--for women whose cancer was not diagnosed until they experienced vaginal bleeding.”

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, possible symptoms are:

Blood spots or light bleeding between or following periods

* Menstrual bleeding that is longer and heavier than usual

* Bleeding after intercourse, douching, or a pelvic examination

* Pain during sexual intercourse

* Bleeding after menopause

* Increased vaginal discharge

Be informed, be supportive and never live in fear or shame when your life or their's is on the line.

Find a Gynecologic Oncologist: http://www.wcn.org/findadoctor/ Gynecologic oncologists are specially trained to care for women with gynecologic cancers such as cervical cancer, endometrial, or uterine cancer, or ovarian cancer.

Surviving cervical cancer

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:41:00 +0000

Fort Collins, CO

Seven years ago Diane Mullis of Loveland went to her doctor for a regular exam, but it turned out to be anything but regular.

Diane was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Three and a half years after that it came back.

After repeated check up's every few months Diane thought she was in the clear...but the cancer reared it's ugly head once again.

Diane has endured 26 raditaiton treatments and six chemo sessions that basically, as she says, has drained her of her energy. Amazingly however she finds the strength to maintain day care in her home, but does have help.

Most people we speak with who have survived cancer say how importnat support from family and friends is, and Diane is no different.

Diane's daughter Brianna a junior in high school now, is probably her mother's biggest supporter, and Diane says its tough to see what her daughter has to go through.

Now that Brianna is getting close to finishing high school, more than ever Diane is fighting to make sure she's there for Brianna's graduation.

Diane has been part of Relay For Life before, telling us that she's even lost a few friends along the way. She says many people go to the event for many different reasons, but for her it's to hear about what other cancer survivor's are going through and that she's not alone in this battle.

Since we interviewed Diane we have learned from her that her tumor is now gone and she will no longer have to go through chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Cervical cancer vaccine not just for teens

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:03:00 +0000

Denver, CO

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine works for women aged 24 to 45 who aren't already infected by HPV, the virus that has been linked to cervical cancer and other cervical diseases.

That's the finding from Dr. Nubia Munoz, of the National Institute of Cancer in Bogota, Columbia, who noted that women's rising age at first marriage and increasing divorce rates have led to more widespread premarital intercourse and pairing with new sexual partners around middle age.

Their study included more than 3,200 women, aged 24 to 45, with no history of cervical disease or cancer or genital warts caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18. The women received either the quadrivalent HPV vaccine, which protects against the four HPV types, or a placebo at day one and months two and six of the study.

The women were followed for about 2.2 years and the researchers identified four cases of infection or disease in the vaccinated group, compared to 41 cases in the placebo group. That means the vaccine was 91 percent effective against all four virus strains.

When they looked at only HPV types 16 and 18, the researchers found four cases in the vaccine group and 23 in the placebo group, which means the vaccine was 83 percent effective against those two HPV types.

"Lower effectiveness [about 30 percent] detected in the mixed population (susceptible women and those who have already acquired HPV infection or HPV-associated disease) suggests that the public health effect of vaccinating women aged 25 to 45 years will be smaller than that recorded after vaccinating susceptible adolescents. This notion will be assessed in future cost-benefit analyses," the study authors wrote.

The findings appear online June 2 and in an upcoming print issue of The Lancet.

Misread Pap Test Failure to Diagnose Cervical Cancer

Broad-spectrum cervical cancer vaccine shows promise

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:01:00 +0000

New York, NY

An investigational broad-spectrum cervical cancer vaccine induced strong immune responses in mice and rabbits, and protected them against human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 for four months, new research has found.

Current HPV L1-based vaccines provide almost 100 percent protection against the two types of HPV that cause 70 percent of all cervical cancer cases worldwide, but they are expensive and offer only limited protection against other HPV types that cause cancer, according to the researchers. The new vaccine may help cover that gap in protection, they noted.

When the candidate vaccine was used with a substance such as alum to stimulate immune response, the animals were protected against infection by HPV type 16, the study found.

"Clinical studies are warranted" to assess the safety of these types of vaccines, wrote Richard Roden, of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and colleagues. If this new type of vaccine proves effective, "its simpler manufacturing process could make the local production of such a vaccine highly feasible, which might achieve the goal of producing it at sustainable prices in emerging countries and lead to its widespread implementation in the developing world," the researchers said.

The study appears online Tuesday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

A broad-spectrum HPV vaccine could solve the shortcomings of current vaccines -- they're too expensive to be used in much of the world and they don't protect against enough HPV types -- Dr. F. Xavier Bosch, of the Catalan Institute of Oncology in Barcelona, Spain, wrote in an accompanying editorial.

The results of this study "open the door to a novel family of second generation HPV vaccines with significant potential value in the public health horizon. As soon as appropriate, Phase 1 trials in humans should be initiated," Bosch wrote.

Misread Pap Smear Test Malpractice Attorneys

Israeli company says can detect cervical cancer earlier

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Tue, 26 May 2009 02:37:00 +0000

Jerusalem, Israel

Israel's Zetiq, a unit of Bio-Light Ltd (BOLT.TA), said on Monday it successfully completed clinical trials for its technology for the early detection of cervical cancer.

Bio-Light's shares were up 24.4 percent at 1.33 shekels in afternoon trading in Tel Aviv.

According to the results, the testing can detect pre-cancerous cells in 90 percent of patients, Zetiq said in a statement, noting it was higher than the traditionally used Pap test and similar to that for the HPV virus, which can cause cervical cancer.

"The results of this trial confirm that Zetiq has the potential to develop novel and effective products for early diagnosis of cervical cancer and probably other indications," said Ami Eyal, Bio-Light's chief executive.

"The company plans to complete the development of its product for screening to early identify cervical cancers, and to proceed towards international collaborations and product commercialisation".

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in women worldwide. Early identification of the disease greatly increases the survival rate.

Screen tests for cervical cancer are performed routinely in the western world, and have a large market that in the United States alone surpasses $1.5 billion. In developing countries there is no effective screening test available to identify cervical cancer. (Reporting by Steven Scheer, editing by Will Waterman)

Misread Pap Test Malpractice Lawyers - Failure to Diagnose Cervical Cancer Lawsuits

Pap Tests and menopause

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Mon, 25 May 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Atlanta, GA

A Pap test, or Pap smear, is a pelvic exam that checks the cervix fluids and cells for possible cancer and precancerous cells. Typically they are given to every woman of childbearing age after they become sexually active to check for cervical cancer and other items. These tests help in finding precancerous cells early so that there is a greater chance of treatment options that will work for the survival of the patient. But what about those out of childbearing years, those in menopause? Should they still be getting a yearly Pap test?

Getting the Pap Test
Those getting a Pap smear should prepare two days in advance so that they can get the best possible result, mainly an accurate one that will not do false results. Things that a woman should not be doing for two days prior to the Pap smear pelvic exam are:
Do not have sex
Do not take tub baths
Do not use douches, artificial lubrication, or feminine hygiene products
Don’t use tampons (don’t even have a Pap smear while on your period)
Do not use foam, cream, or jelly birth control
Don’t use vaginal medication or creams

Pap Smears and Menopause
Usually women can stop having a yearly pelvic Pap smear exam after reaching age 70 if they meet one condition. They must have had the past 10 years of normal Pap Smear results. They are still asked to have pelvic exams, but the pap smear doesn’t need to be included.
If the woman goes into early menopause prior to the age of 70, it is usually recommended that they continue to get one to test for the cervical cancer risk. After reaching the age of 70 they will then be able to relax the need for pap smear pelvic exams if the woman has had normal results for the prior 10 years of testing.

How often a woman gets a pap smear is completely up to many different things. Whether or not she has a history of cancer, her age, whether she smokes, or if she has HPV (human papillomavirus) are some of those factors that will increase her need for more frequent pap smears and other pelvic exams. But if the woman continues to have a thorough exam and get normal results, they will relax the need to see her as often as before. The need for early detection is still key in having these types of tests.

Misread Pap Smear Test Malpractice Law Firm

Smoking is independent risk factor for cervical cancer in women with oncogenic HPV types: Presented at IPV

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Sun, 17 May 2009 21:18:00 +0000

Malmo, Sweeden

New research confirms that smoking is an independent risk factor for cervical cancer in women with oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types, researchers stated here at the 25th International Papillomavirus (IPV) Conference.

"We must emphasise cervical cancer prevention among women exposed to tobacco smoke," said Aline Simen-Kapeau, PhD, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Oulu, Finland, on May 12.

The researchers noted that the strong correlation between smoking and exposure to oncogenic HPV types makes determining the independent role of smoking in cervical carcinogenesis difficult. This study was designed to determine that role.

Data from 5 large Nordic country serum banks with samples from >1 million people were correlated to national cancer registries (1973-2003).

The researchers retrieved serum samples from 588 women who developed invasive cervical cancer and 2,861 matched control subjects.

The serum samples were analysed for cotinine and antibodies to oncogenic HPV types 16 and 18, herpes simplex virus type 2, and Chlamydia trachomatis.

The risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix was found to be associated with smoking among heavy smokers in the HPV16-/HPV18-seropositivegroup (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-4.3).

After adjustment for HPV16/18 antibodies, a similar risk of cervical cancer was found among heavy smokers (OR = 3.2; 95% CI, 2.6-4.0).

The risk increased with older age at diagnosis and with increasing cotinine levels.

"This study confirms that smoking is an independent risk factor for cervical cancer in women infected with oncogenic HPVs," the researchers concluded.

Misread Pap Test Malpractice Lawyers

Cervical screening protocal has saved countless lives

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Thu, 14 May 2009 03:12:00 +0000

Trenton, NJ

By Dr. Margaret Jaskowski-Lutsic

Since the advent of a cervical screening protocol, the incidence and mortality from cervical cancer has consistency fallen. The disease typically has a long premalignant state.

Cervical cancer is the second-leading cause of death from cancer in women worldwide. It is the third most-common gynecological malignancy in the United States.

There are 13,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer each year, with approximately 4,000 deaths.

Due to regular cervical smear tests, which allow microscopic examination of cervical cells, detection of early changes can be treated before a malignancy occurs.

Cervical dysplasia can be triggered by human papillomavirus, or HPV, in approximately 70 percent of the cases. Women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, or CIN, can undergo a colposcopy to further evaluate the extent of cervical dysplasia. This procedure will assist the gynecologist in determining the type of surveillance that should occur and also the type of procedure that should be performed next. The procedures include cryotherapy, a loop electrosurgical excision procedure, laser or cold conization.

Most of these procedures can be typically performed at Oakwood Southshore Surgery Center. The sensitivity, professionalism and caring of our staff will keep your mind at ease from the moment you enter the facility to the moment you leave.

Dr. Margaret Jaskowski-Lutsic is a Trenton-based obstetrician and gynecologist affiliated with the Oakwood Healthcare System.

Failure to diagnose cervical cancer malpractice lawyers

Abnormal cells in cervix raise cervical cancer risk: study

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Thu, 14 May 2009 03:05:00 +0000

Chicago, IL

A woman's age and the type of treatment she gets may play a big role in the risk that abnormal cells on the cervix will return or develop into cervical cancer, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

The said older women and women treated with a freezing procedure known as cryotherapy have the highest risks of having the abnormal cells come back or progress to cervical cancer.

How severe the abnormal changes in cells were in the first place also plays a role.

"We now have a much more clear idea of the risks of recurrent abnormal cells and invasive cervical cancer over time after treatment of these cells," said Joy Melnikow of the University of California Davis, whose study appears in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The condition, known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), can progress to cancer. The main cause is the human papillomavirus or HPV, a common sexually transmitted disease.

Pap smears, which women in most developed countries undergo regularly, sample the cervix for these abnormal cells.

CIN is grouped into three stages, ranging from mild or grade 1, with just a few abnormal cells, to severe or grade 3, in which there are precancerous cells on the top layer of the cervix.

Melnikow and colleagues studied more than 37,000 women from the British Columbia Cancer Agency in Canada who were treated for CIN from 1986 through 2000. They compared them to a group of more than 71,000 women who had no history of abnormal cervical cells.

Both groups were followed through 2004.

BIOPSY TREATMENT LOWER RISK

The researchers found the risk of cervical cancer and recurrence of grade 2 or grade 3 abnormal cells was highest for women who were over 40, who were previously treated for grade 3 or for those who whose cells were frozen using cryotherapy.

Women treated with cone biopsy, a way of surgically removing the cells, were the least likely to have CIN again later.

In general, they found most recurrences of CIN happened in the first six years after treatment, Melnikow said in an e-mail.

She said women who have had treatment for the condition in the past have "a low, but higher-than-average risk of invasive cancer, so they need regular screening over an extended period of time."

Melnikow said women treated surgically have higher risks of bleeding and preterm labor if they become pregnant after treatment. "Younger women planning later pregnancies may prefer cryotherapy; their risk of recurrence is lower and a recurrence can be treated again," she said.

Melnikow said it was not possible to tell from the study whether women who have a recurrence had HPV infections that caused their original abnormal cells to come back.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women, with 500 000 new cases each year worldwide. More than half of women with cervical cancer will die, according to the World Health Organization.

Misread Pap Test Lawsuit Attorneys

Cervical Cancer Risk Persists After Age 50

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:16:00 +0000

Older women with several negative smear test results at same risk as younger counterparts

Women over the age of 50 who have several consecutive negative smear test results are at similar risk of cervical cancer as their younger counterparts with the same test history, according to a study published online April 24 in BMJ.

Matejka Rebolj, of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and colleagues analyzed data on 218,847 women aged 45 to 54 years and 445,382 women aged 30 to 44 years who had three consecutive negative smear test results. The researchers looked at 10 year cumulative cervical incidence.

There were 105 women in the 30 to 44 age group who developed cervical cancer within 2,595,964 woman years, and 42 in the 45 to 54 age group within 1,278,532 woman years, the researchers found. Screening levels were similar for both groups throughout the follow-up period, and the cumulative incidence rate in the younger and older age groups was 41 in 100,000 and 36 in 100,000, respectively, the investigators found.

"Our conclusion lends support to the current cervical cancer screening guidelines in England and other developed countries, which do not discriminate women by age up to 60 to 65," the authors write. "Whether individual tailoring of recommendations for further screening by using the information on individual screening histories would be an efficient and feasible alternative to the current fixed schedule in any age group remains to be explored."

Glaxo's cervical cancer vaccine faces US battle

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:11:00 +0000

Trenton, NJ

New studies show GlaxoSmithKline PLC's vaccine Cervarix blocks the virus that causes cervical cancer, but if it wins approval for U.S. sales, it will face an uphill battle against Gardasil, which has owned the market here for three years.

Cervarix, Glaxo's vaccine against human papilloma virus or HPV, already is approved in more than 90 other countries, but has been held up by delays in the United States. Several years ago, the British drugmaker was in a neck-and-neck race with rival Merck & Co., Gardasil's maker, to be first on the U.S. market, but it lost when Gardasil got approved in June 2006.

Late in 2007, the Food and Drug Administration declined to approve approve Cervarix. GlaxoSmithKline submitted a new application on March 30 that included final data from an 18,000-woman study recently completed.

Final results from that study and two others are being presented this weekend at a conference in Sweden on papillomavirus. FDA is expected to decide whether to approve Cervarix within several months.

If it does, analyst Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, said doctors who have prescribed Gardasil for a few years may see no reason to switch -- unless GlaxoSmithKline convinces them its product is much more effective or has fewer side effects.

Both vaccines target the two types of HPV that cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers, types 16 and 18, and data indicate both are about 98 percent effective. But Merck also has data showing Gardasil blocks two other HPV types that cause most cases of genital warts that Cervarix does not target.

That will be a key factor for doctors, experts said.

"All else being equal, it's a no-brainer for the doctor, (who) wants to give the most efficacious treatment," Gordon said.

Gardasil racked up only $426 million in global sales in the most recent quarter, versus $69 million for Cervarix, which has won more contracts from government health programs in other countries.

Partial results of the new Cervarix studies released to The Associated Press indicate it also offers good protection against 12 other HPV types.

One of the studies, which looked at looked at levels of antibodies to some HPV types after study participants were vaccinated with Cervarix or Gardasil, found higher antibody levels induced by Cervarix. But Dr. Gary Dubin, head of one of Glaxo's clinical development centers, said that doesn't prove Cervarix is more effective.

New data will be presented at the same conference on Gardasil, indicating it blocks HPV 16 for at least 9 1/2 years, according to Merck. Glaxo has followed women for up to 7 1/2 years and continues to test some to see if they develop cervical lesions or cancer.

Dr. Cynthia Rand, a researcher, pediatrician and associate professor at the University of Rochester Medical School, said Cervarix appears to be effective. But she said the higher antibody levels triggered by Cervarix, compared with Gardasil, might be meaningless. She said doctors don't know if they will have to give booster shots years from now for either vaccine.

"It won't change my practice" of giving Gardasil and likely won't do so for other doctors, said Rand, whose university has patent claims and receives some royalties related to both vaccines. "Pediatricians prefer in general to also protect against genital warts."

Warning signs of cervical cancer

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:43:00 +0000

Selma,AL

New information regarding cancers flashes across televisions screens nearly weekly. Recently, though, the human papillomavirus has come to the forefront because it links cancer to sexually transmitted diseases.

There are more than 80 types of HPV, and certain types can cause cervical cancer. In fact, HPV is the most common cause of the disease.

Research scientists are still learning about cervical cancer and others everyday. According to the National Cancer Institute, 11,070 new cases of cervical cancer were found in 2008. The cancer caused 3,870 deaths.

“Cervical cancer seems to have come into the spotlight lately because of all the commercials for vaccines,” said Luella Giles, health initiative representative at the American Cancer Society’s Montgomery office. “Some states like Texas and California are requiring girls to get the vaccination.”

The Guardasil vaccination can be administered to females from nine to 26-years-old. This vaccine prevents four types of HPV. Two can cause cancer and two can cause genital warts. Two symptoms of cervical cancer that should raise a red flag are abnormal vaginal bleeding and increased vaginal discharge.

“If women think there is a possibility they have a problem, then it is better to go to a physician and get checked,” said UAB Director of Gynecologic Oncology Dr. Ronald D. Alvarez. “Waiting never helps the problem.”

The National Cancer Institute lists risk facts of developing cervical cancer. Some are obvious — HPV infection and smoking — while others are lesser known — seven or more full-term pregnancies and long-term use of oral contraceptives.

There are several ways to prevent being infected with HPV. Included among them is avoiding sexual activity, getting vaccinated and using another means of birth control.

Early detection can be achieved through regular pelvic exams and Pap tests to find abnormal cells.

If there is any sign of cancer, the physician will typically use a coloscope — a bright light with a magnifying lens to make tissue easier to see — or perform a biopsy.

According to the National Cancer Institute, there are four ways to perform a biopsy. The punch biopsy uses a sharp tool to pinch off a small sample of the cervical tissue. In a LEEP the doctor uses an electric wire loop to slice off a thin, round piece of cervical tissues. The doctor uses a curette, a small, spoon-shaped instrument, to scrape a small sample of tissue from the cervix in an endocervical curettage. The doctor removes a cone-shaped sample of tissue during a conization, or cone biopsy, which lets the pathologist see if abnormal cells are in the tissue beneath the surface of the cervix. The doctor may do this test in the hospital under general anesthesia.

“If you are concerned about which biopsy is the best, then ask your doctor,” said Giles. “Don’t forget that you have every right to ask for a second opinion.”

If cervical cancer is detected, there are three routes of treatment — surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. A physician may see it fit to use a combination of the three.

After successful treatment, the battle isn’t over. Many survivors join support groups to let each other know they are not alone.

“Support groups are just one way to get back to normal life,” said Giles. “Cancer does not have to be stop your day-to-day life.”

Cervical cancer screening should continue after 50

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:35:00 +0000

HemOnc Today

Data from an observational prospective study of the incidence of cervical cancer indicates that age is not a good discriminative risk factor for early cutoff of cervical cancer screening. Researchers found that the risk for cervical cancer, even after several negative cervical smear tests by the age of 50, was still similar to that of women of younger ages.

The researchers analyzed data from a Dutch national registry of histopathology and cytopathology. They compared data from 218,847 women aged 45 to 54, and 445,382 women aged 30 to 44 at the time of a third negative smear test.

After 10 years, 105 women had developed cervical cancer within 2,595,964 woman-years at risk in the 30 to 44 age group, and 42 within 1,278,532 woman-years at risk in the 45 to 54 age group.

The incidence rate of cervical cancer was similar in both age groups at 41 per 100,000 (95% CI, 33-51) for the 30 to 44 years age group vs. 36 per 100,000 (95% CI, 24-52) in the 45 to 54 age group.

The findings suggested it would not be consistent to stop screening these women while also not relaxing the screening policy for younger women with similar screening histories, according to a press release.

“Our conclusion lends support to the current cervical cancer screening guidelines in England and other developed countries, which do not discriminate women by age up to 60 to 65,” the researchers wrote.

Modern computer technology may allow for individually tailored screening invitations, according to Björn Strander, MD, director at the Cervical Screening Oncology Center at Sahlgren’s University Hospital in Göteborg, Sweden.

“We have to pay close attention to developments in invasive cancer in age groups above the cut-off point for screening and be prepared to adjust the screening ages as we learn more,” he said in an accompanying editorial.

Rebolj M. BMJ. 2009;doi:10.1136/bmj.b1354.

Lack of education makes silent HPV virus a real threat

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:05:00 +0000

Law Vegas, NV

HPV is sexually transmitted and causes cancer, may be prevented

Even if you think you’re safe, education about human Human Papillomavirus is crucial.

HPV affects both females and males and it is transmitted by any kind of sexual contact.

There are no symptoms associated with this virus, although some types of HPV might result in genital warts. The only way of knowing if someone is infected is by having regular pap smears.

In the past year the UNLV Health Center performed 913 pap smears; out of those, 77 were positive for HPV, which accounts for 8 percent of all the women tested, said Tina Saddler, nurse practitioner and associate director of the Student Health Center.

Abstinence, safe sex, fewer sexual partners and a vaccine are a few ways to prevent HPV, said Annette Magnus, grassroots organizer of one the Planned Parenthood Clinic of Southern Nevada.

There are more than 30 types of the virus, but only four types may lead to cervical cancer in women. Types 6, 11, 16 and 18 are the main worry, but also the only ones that might be prevented by the vaccine Gardasil, Magnus said.

Currently, Gardasil is the only FDA-approved vaccine on the market that may help guard against those types of HPV. It is recommended for females between the ages of nine and 26, she said.

Magnus suggested that men should also take the vaccine as a way to prevent spreading the virus.

“The Gardasil vaccine is one of the most promising new medical advances of our time because it opens a whole new world of prevention and treatment,” said Carol Kobashigawa, clinician for Planned Parenthood of Southern Nevada.

It is believed that the HPV vaccine will reduce HPV exposure and therefore reduce the number of abnormal pap smear results and the follow up tests, Saddler said. It is also believed that it will decrease a woman’s chance of developing cervical cancer, which is most often caused by HPV.

The message is to catch the virus in its early stages so there is no chance of it becoming cervical cancer.

There are more than 20 million people in the U.S. who are infected and an estimated 6.2 million who will get the virus each year. Fortunately, in most people, the body’s defenses are enough to clear HPV, Saddler said.

Kathy Underwood, a nurse practitioner and associate director at the Health Center, said that women should know the center is there to help them and answer any questions they might have.

“It can be very scary, but we can help them sort it through and give them real information,” Underwood said.

Even though in the past few years HPV has been more advertised and talked about, there is still a lot to be learned. Women and men can talk to their health care provider and discuss the best ways to prevent or treat HPV.

Education will always be one of the best tools to prevent viruses like HPV and other STDs.

Univ. of Washington students among 10,000 participating in HPV vaccine study

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:59:00 +0000

Seattle, WA

The UW is involved in studies regarding a new vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) after UW researchers played a significant role in the development of Gardasil, an existing vaccine for the sexually transmitted infection.

Constance Mao, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the UW, is leading the study of 102 women between ages 16 and 26 at Hall Health Primary Care Center.

The study, funded by Merck & Co., Inc., which started manufacturing Gardasil in 2006, will compare the effectiveness of the new vaccine to that of Gardasil.

There will be 10,000 participants in the project worldwide.

Research sites are located around the globe to promote diversity among participants, though most sites are in South America and Asia because they are less expensive to manage.

UW researcher Laura Koutsky from the UW School of Public Health was credited for making major contributions to the development of Gardasil, beginning with trials that started in the late 1980s.

The UW research enterprise’s licensing income leapt from $12 million in 2006 to $38 million in 2008 through the collection of royalties for developing and testing the vaccine.

Mao said that Gardasil can prevent about 70 percent of all HPV strains, but it only helps prevent two types of HPV that could cause cervical cancer. The multivalent HPV vaccine currently being tested could help prevent seven types of cancer-causing HPV.

“The vaccine could be 87 to 88 percent effective at preventing … abnormal pap tests,” Mao said.

Costs of treating HPV and cervical cancer could also go down, Mao said, as the vaccine could help avoid costly diagnosis and uncomfortable treatment.

Study coordinator Sandra O’Reilly said participants for the study attend sessions lasting no longer than an hour over a period of three-and-a-half years.

The length of the study does not affect how participants are selected, said Lauren Asaba, a health care specialist at the Women’s Clinic at Hall Health.

However, Asaba does ask during screening sessions if participants could be leaving Seattle during the study period.

Participants are given the vaccine and have exams throughout the study, giving them virtually free gynecological care during the study. Participants of the study will be exposed to HPV, Mao said.

Mao will be looking for signs of cervical dysplasia in order to test the effectiveness of the vaccine.

“If a subject does have an abnormal pap [test], which is an indication of HPV infection, they are seen by Mao, and it is covered by the study,” Asaba said.

New advanced DNA test could make pap smears obsolete

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:04:00 +0000

Lufkin, TX

Annual pap smears could soon move to medical history books. Dr. Kay Carter said the new advanced dna test could save women's lives. "It can tell whether the DNA is high risk or low risk DNA for the HPV virus," said Dr. Carter.

She said the DNA test will make gynecologists' jobs easier. That is because it is a one step screening process

"If a woman has a high risk HPV virus then we will automatically go directly to biopsies and test that gives us more accurate information than the pap smear screen does," said Dr. Carter.

Dr. Carter believes most women get an annual pap smear out of routine and don't really understand its purpose. "I don't think that women classically understand the pap smear and why we have to do it," said Dr. Carter. She said the new DNA test makes it easier to understand that there is a virus that causes cervical cancer and women need to be checked for that virus.

Women over 30 could drop the annual pap smear and instead get a DNA test every three, five or ten years. The women we talked to said the pap smear does not bother them. "It's better to be safe than sorry, waiting three years is a long time, once a year is pretty accurate," said Becca Tatum, patient.

"You're going to have to come in for a yearly exam anyways, a breast exam, a pelvic exam so you mine as well get the pap smear done while you are," said Wendy Burger, patient.

Dr. Carter said over time, the DNA test will also cut yearly medical expenses.

Study on cervical cancer vaccine for young men

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:03:00 +0000

Madison, WI

Danny and Craig Womack are brothers, and typical college students. They both signed up for a medical study on campus to make a little money. "My brother dragged me into it, definitely, dragged me into it, but being a college student, you know, free easy money for a good cause. It's difficult to pass up," says Craig.

The Womacks are among nearly 4,000 men between the ages of 16 and 26 taking part in an international study to see if the cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil, can prevent disease in men. Doctor Anna Giuliano is leading the research. "We're so focused on HPV causing cervical cancer that most of us just haven't had the chance to recognize that this infection causes cancer in men. We're talking about 90 percent of anal cancers, 50 to 80 percent of penile cancers and up to 60 percent of oropharyngeal cancers."

HPV is spread through sexual intercourse, so it stands to reason that girls and boys might both benefit from the vaccine. Dr. Giuliano says reducing infection in men would prevent transmission of the infection to females, and ultimately reduce infection all around.

There's more data to crunch before the study concludes, but the vaccine maker is so encouraged, they're already moving forward. Merck Company is applying for approval from the Food and Drug Administration, which could make a ruling by the end of the year. Right now, Gardasil is given to girls in three doses over a six month period. If approved, the same treatment course would apply for men.

The Womacks are encouraged. They're also glad to be taking part in a study that has the potential to educate a whole new generation of young people to the risk of HPV.

Will HPV Test Replace Pap Smear in Cervical Cancer Screening?

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:21:00 +0000

April 07, 2009 05:57 PM ET | Deborah Kotz

In response to my blog post yesterday on Farrah Fawcett and anal cancer, I received an interesting E-mail from a reader who had been diagnosed with cervical cancer 10 years ago as a result of an infection with human papillomavirus. She had heard of the study published in last week's New England Journal of Medicine showing that a newer DNA test for HPV saves more lives from cervical cancer than traditional Pap smears. Here's an excerpt from her letter:

"I was hoping to get your take on the new HPV DNA test that is being touted as the replacement to the Pap smear. Reason I ask is that currently, HPV testing is ONLY recommend for women over 30 and the fact that they would do away with the Pap in favor of HPV DNA testing has many of us in the survivor community wondering what this all means. Will women under 30 get the HPV test? Will Paps be gone and HPV DNA testing only exist for women over 30? What does it all mean?"

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists currently recommends annual Pap screens—which involve taking a small scraping of cells from the cervix—for young women about three years after they begin having sex or by age 21, whichever comes first. Starting at age 30, women have three options: If they have had three negative Pap results, they can continue annual Pap testing or switch to screening every two or three years. They can also add screening with an HPV-DNA test, which is not a blood test but also involves taking a small sample of cells from the cervix. (Those with HIV or certain other conditions should continue annual screening.)

I asked Kenneth Noller, past president of ACOG and chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Tufts Medical Center, if he could tell me what this latest research means for cervical cancer screening.

Will this new study change anything? Will Pap smears indeed become a thing of the past?
"One study never does anything by itself, but there are a lot of studies showing HPV tests are better than doing cytology on a Pap smear," says Noller. "But that's if you're comparing a one-time Pap smear with a one-time HPV test, which was how the latest study was performed." The two tests perform about equally, on the other hand, when a woman receives one or the other repeatedly over several years. That being said, Noller predicts that Pap smears will become less common in women over 30 as more doctors turn to HPV testing.

What about women under 30? Shouldn't they have HPV tests too?
Not unless they have an abnormal Pap smear, Noller says. Widespread HPV testing in that younger group, he says, could lead to "unnecessary testing, treatment, and worry." While about 15 to 20 percent of women under 30 test positive for a high-risk HPV strain, about 90 percent of those infections vanish without treatment. For this reason, doctors tend to perform HPV tests in younger women only when there's an abnormal Pap result and they need to determine whether further procedures are warranted. Women over 30, on the other hand, are less likely to be infected with HPV, but those who are infected are more likely to have a persistent infection. If HPV tests completely replace Paps in women over 30, Noller says he's not sure how many labs will remain in business to keep analyzing cells from Pap tests.

So, what should women do?
Women under 30 should stick with Pap smears, and those over 30 should speak to their doctor about HPV testing. The HPV test could be particularly useful if it's been several years since a woman's last screening. For now, there's no reason to panic if you're a younger women. Paps are still widely available.

HPV Test Screens Best for Cervical Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:33:00 +0000

New York, NY

With the right test, a single round of screening can decrease the risk of death from cervical cancer by more than 50%, according to research published in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The large, longitudinal study, conducted in nearly 500 villages in the rural Osmanabad district of central India, analyzed the effectiveness of three methods of screening, including the standard pap smear and the newer test for human papillomavirus, or HPV, whose sexually transmitted high-risk strains are known to cause cervical cancer. (Read "Cancer and Insurance: Who Do You Call?")

More broadly, researchers hope their findings will help determine how best to implement health outreach programs in developing communities — a crucial step toward preventing cancer deaths, which are increasing worldwide.

"In developing countries, screening is not that common," says Dr. Rengaswamy Sankaranarayanan, lead author of the study and head of the screening group at the International Agency for Research on Cancer. There are small-scale cancer screening efforts underway primarily in urban areas throughout Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, but they serve only a tiny slice of the population who would benefit, according to Sankaranarayanan. For example, "in India, less than one million pap smears are taken each year," he says, a fraction of the more than 200 million women who are at risk for developing cervical cancer.

Sankaranarayanan's study involved more than 130,000 women, ages 30 to 59, who were randomly divided into three test groups and a control group. Women in the test groups were screened using one of three tests: a pap smear, an HPV test or a visual inspection of the cervix after application of acetic acid (VIA), a component of vinegar that causes precancerous lesions to turn white. Among the study participants, only eight had ever undergone cervical cancer screening before. Women in the control group were informed about the causes and dangers of cervical cancer and instructed where they could go for testing, but were not given specific appointments; only 6% of those women followed through with screenings.

"One of the major barriers for screening is that you need to go to a screening center, you have to wait, you have to go back," says Sankaranarayanan. "Many of these women are poor women who have to go and work in the field every day." And many do not understand that cervical cancer can be deadly. "There are a lot of false assumptions," he says. "People aren't aware of the severity of the disease."

Of the women in the three experimental groups, who were given pre-scheduled screening appointments, nearly 80% showed up. Those who had a positive screen result or visual evidence of cervical dysplasia (abnormal cells on the cervix) were given follow-up treatment, including further testing, cryotherapy (the freezing and removal of abnormal cells) and, in cases of more serious cancer, surgery and radiation. (Read "Despite US Drop, Cancer Rates Grow Worldwide.")

Over the course of the eight-year study — women were tracked from 1999 to 2007 — researchers found that the HPV screen routed out more cancer and prevented more deaths than either of the other screening tests, and did so with the fewest false negatives. Among some 30,000 women screened for HPV, only eight patients who received negative results went on to develop cervical cancer. In the pap smear group, 22 women, or nearly three times as many as in the HPV group, who had negative results later developed cancer. In the VIA group, there were even more false negatives, with 25 women. In addition, in the HPV and pap smear groups, 60% of cancers were detected early, in stage I of development, compared with 42% in the VIA group.

"HPV appears to be a better test for screening," Sankaranarayanan says, reaffirming previous studies that have established a strong correlation between positive tests for HPV and development of cancerous lesions.

But HPV is a tricky virus to manage. Sankaranarayanan points out that, first, it is exceedingly common; there are some 100 different strains of HPV, of which 30 or 40 affect the vast majority of sexually active people during the course of their lifetimes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that as many as 80% of sexually active women (and 50% of all men and women) will be infected with HPV at some point. Second, the body most often clears the HPV virus on its own, without ever causing cancer or other symptoms (some strains of HPV also cause genital warts). "More than 80% of the infections will clear within two years of acquiring," he says, underscoring the accepted recommendation by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that HPV tests not be used as a cervical-cancer screening tool in younger women, but only in women ages 30 and older. Infections are more likely to be persistent in this age group, which puts them at greater risk for cervical cancer. For younger women and girls, between the ages of 11 and 26, health authorities in the U.S. and several European countries recommend the HPV vaccine to prevent infection.

From a practical standpoint, limiting HPV testing to women over 30 can also reduce unnecessary costs in treating patients in whom the infection would have resolved itself, a particularly important factor to consider when attempting to get cervical cancer prevention programs off the ground in the developing world and among lower-income women, Sankaranarayanan says. Indeed, the current standard in HPV tests, the Hybrid Capture II, which was used for this study, is already too costly for wide-scale application, running as much as $30 per test. Realistically, in order to be used on a grand scale, tests would have to cost about $1 each, Sankaranarayanan estimates.

In that respect, there may be hope on the horizon. A Chinese study, funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (as was the current study) and published in 2008, reported that a new HPV test, called careHPV, is easier to use, produces results faster and is just as effective as the Hybrid Capture II. Researchers say that when careHPV becomes available — Sankaranarayanan anticipates it will be on the market within two years — it will cost a fraction of the price of the Hybrid Capture II.

In the meantime, he says we need to educate people about cervical cancer and the virus that causes it, particularly in the developing world. Combating the disease begins with simple steps, Sankaranarayanan says: "Taking away the stigma of HPV infection and specifically targeting these deprived groups with the proper education."

Researchers study stress and cervical cancer

noreply@blogger.com (iLitigate) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:23:00 +0000

Madison, WI

Betsy Longstreth has a full time job, a house to run, and three children and six grandchildren to care for. She says she doesn't necessarily feel overwhelmed, and has normal daily stress just like everyone else. Doctors say that's good, because there may be a link between how stressed you feel, and cervical cancer.

Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center studied the immune systems of women with precancerous cervical cells. They evaluated the ability of the cells to respond or proliferate when stimulated with HPV in vitro. Women filled out questionnaires and rated how well they thought they coped with day-to-day hassles. Dr. Carolyn Fang says, "What we found was that women who reported that they perceived a lot of stress over the past month, were less likely to show an immune response to HPV."

Doctors are still studying whether stress actually has a negative effect on immune cells, but the message to women who feel overwhelmed is clear. "Read a book, take a bath, have a massage. Whatever makes you feel better and relieves your stress, is a healthy step to take," says Dr. Fang. Betsy takes that advice by walking everyday and fitting in yoga at least once each week.

The study is especially important because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says one in four women between the ages of 14 and 59 is infected with HPV. Researchers also plan to study stress reduction program to find out whether chilling out can improve the immune response to HPV.