June 10, 2006, 6:37 PM CT

FDA aaproves Cervical Cancer Vaccine

A vaccine that protects against the virus known to cause most cervical cancers was given the blessing of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel Thursday.

The vaccine, Gardasil, is expected to get full FDA approval on June 8, and the national Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will then decide whether to include the vaccine in routine vaccination schedules. Gardasil, which is manufactured by Merck & Co., would then become the first vaccine to be approved for the prevention of cervical cancer.

Experts noted the development of this type of vaccine is unquestionably a good thing.

"This will be a very important advance for public health for women," said Dr. Jay Brooks, chairman of hematology/oncology at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation, in Baton Rouge, La.

"It's a very positive thing. There's no negative that I can think of," echoed Dr. Nicholas Klein, director of obstetrics and gynecology at Nyack Hospital, in Nyack, N.Y. "It's a great step forward in possibly preventing cervical cancer".

There are, however, some important remaining questions.

"This can have a tremendous effect on women's health," said Dr. Daniel H. Smith, chief of the gynecologic oncology division at Hackensack University Medical Center's Cancer Center, in New Jersey. "Having said that, to me, the real issue is who should be treated, and when".........

Posted by: Emily      Permalink         Source

March 1, 2006, 11:16 PM CT

HPV Infection Is The Top Risk Factor For Cervical Cancer

Human papillomavirus (HPV) was found to be the main risk factor associated with increased incidence of an unusual type of cervical cancer called cervical adenocarcinoma, as per a research studyin the March 1 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The incidence of cervical adenocarcinoma has increased in recent years, even in countries with widespread screening programs, with incidence doubling in relation to all other cervical cancers between 1973 and 1996. HPV is a well-established cause of cervical squamous cell cancer, the most common type of cervical cancer worldwide. Prior studies have suggested HPV may also cause cervical adenocarcinoma, but those studies were small and did not provide information on the role of other factors in the development of this cancer.

To investigate the links between HPV and cervical adenocarcinoma in a multicenter, international sample of women, Xavier Castellsague, M.D., at the Institut Català d'Oncologia in Barcelona, Spain, and his colleagues conducted a pooled analysis of eight case-control studies of cervical cancer conducted in countries in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. Women had been interviewed to determine potential risk factors for cervical cancer, and all received a pelvic examination as well as testing for HPV and cervical cancer.........

Posted by: Emily      Permalink         Source


December 25, 2005, 10:32 AM CT

Merry Christmas To All Our Readers

Medicineworld wishes all our readers merry Christmas.

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh........

Daniel      Permalink


December 19, 2005

Immunotherapy for precancerous changes of the cervix

Immunotherapy for premalignant changes of the cervix.

Whether young women with premalignant changes of the cervix can avoid surgery by using an agent that helps the immune system target the virus responsible is under study at the Medical College of Georgia.

"Infection with human papillomavirus initiates these premalignant changes and this treatment uses that fact to target the lesions," says Dr. Daron G. Ferris, family medicine physician, colposcopist and director of the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Center at the Medical College of Georgia. "We are telling the immune system to go find HPV and eliminate it. When the immune system attacks the HPV, it also attacks the premalignant changes".

Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the country and the major cause of cervical cancer, Dr. Ferris says. Strains that cause cervical cancer get inside cells in the cervix and slowly change them. "In the beginning, women commonly have mild premalignant changes. The good news is, most of the time, these mild changes go away on their own. About 70 percent of the time, we don't have to do any therapy other than following patients closely," Dr. Ferris says.

Unfortunately, cells may also develop moderate to severe changes called cervical dysplasia. "These are true cancer precursors. There is a 30 to 50 percent chance that severe dysplasia will progress to cancer if they are not treated," Dr. Ferris says.

An abnormal Pap smear detects such abnormalities and colposcopy, a technique for examining the cervix for signs of premalignant or malignant cellular changes, typically is performed in follow up. Tests also may be performed to detect the 13 oncogenic strains of HPV.

Patients who have cervical dysplasia may get one of several surgical approaches to remove affected cells and adjacent tissue. "We want to make sure there is only normal, healthy, unexposed skin left after surgery so that when the woman heals, there is no disease left behind," Dr. Ferris says. These approaches, which are 90 percent to 95 percent effective, require removing some of the cervix's mucus-secreting tissue, which can reduce fertility and increase chances of premature delivery.........

Emily      Permalink

Gene silencing therapy for cervical cancer (November 18, 2005)

Single-visit Program For Cervical Cancer Screening Increases Rate Of Follow-u (November 10, 2005)

Vaccine Will Help Protect Women Against Cervical Cancer (November 7, 2005)

Cervival cancer vaccine shown to be highly effective (October 6, 2005)

Smoking and viruses increases the risk in cervical cancer patients (September 9, 2005)

Cervical cancer vaccine expected in a few years    (February 2, 2005)