News
HST collects relevant news from a variety of sources, for your convenience and thus has no control over the content of these news articles. Select a story from below, or use our search feature to find stories of interest.

Swaziland: Major breakthrough in cervical cancer
Njabulo Dlamini, The Swazi Observer
2006-05-18

A breakthrough might have been achieved with the recent acquisition of a vaccine for cervical cancer in women.

The vaccine, Gardasil also doubles up as one that would treat genital warts in both females and young boys aged between nine and 17 years. It came about following intensive investigations and research on vaccines for prevention of cervical cancer.

Information gathered was that the vaccine could be available in the country as from next year as laboratory tests have been completed and registration of it is underway in neighbouring South Africa. Usually this process takes 18 months or so. The registration would also resolve issues around pricing of the vaccine.

Cervical cancer has been identified as the second leading cause of female-cancer related death after breast cancer, especially in developing countries. Once again Sub-Saharan Africa is leading with statistics relating to deaths recorded in relation to cervical cancer.

Following closely is Asian state, India.

The cervical cancer vaccine would be taken in three doses with the second one taken two months after the initial dose and the last six months later. It has been established that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the cause of cervical cancer.

Mechanism of HPV and acquisition indicates that it is mainly through sexual contact, genital-genital, anal-genital and oral-genital.

The good news is that virgins are less likely to contract HPV than sexually active persons. But it may result from non-penetrative sexual contact.

Condom use may also help reduce the risk but is also not fully protective.

Non-sexual routes of transmission include mother to newborn (vertical transmission rare), formites (e.g. undergarments, surgical gloves, biopsy forceps).

Worldwide 2.3 million women have cervical cancer with 490,000 known cases of cervical cancer per year and 270,000 known deaths per year. It is the second leading cause of female cancer-related death.

HPV infection also causes other cancers such as anal, vulva, vaginal, certain oral cancers responsible for known new cancer cases (in the US).

Again it was found that HPV infection causes genital warts, estimated lifetime risk plus or minus 10 percent in men and women, it is difficult and painful to treat recurrences are common and psychologically damaging.

According to John Amoah, Pharmacist at Pharmindustry (Swaziland) and Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) Country Representative, every woman is concerned about HPV as it is a common and very frequent infection 70-80 percent of women are infected by HPV at least once in their lifetime.

Natural infection doesn&rsquot necessarily afford one protection.

&ldquoBut in some instances the progression to full cervical cancer is not witnessed because the immune system fights back the virus,&rdquo Amoah said.

He said the prevalence rate of HPV infection was five times higher in Sub-Saharan Africa compared to the European Union.

&ldquoAt least 470 000 new cases are recorded each year with 230 000 deaths annually. The developing world accounts for about 80 percent of these with India claiming about 30 percent and the rest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Once again, as in HIV and AIDS pandemic, Africa is on the bad side of things regarding the HPV infection,&rdquo Amoah said.

He believes the vaccine should be embraced by governments in their primary health immunisation programmes so that girls as young as nine years could be vaccinated against cervical cancer, at a time when they are not sexually active. The aim is to target young females in their early teens to mid-20s, the sexually aggressive behavioural period. Boys would join at a later stage (say 10 years) in the vaccination specifically for genital warts.

&ldquoThe vaccine is formulate with four types of the HPV (6, 11, 16 and 18) the first two (6 and 11) can cause genital warts and also contribute to Low Grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia whilst the others (16 and 18) can cause High Grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia&rdquo. The combination of four types of the HPV makes Gardasil unique as compared to other brands on the market which have only 2 stains (16 & 18).

&ldquoGenital warts are the most common visible manifestation of cervical HPV disease whilst cervical cancer is the most severe manifestation of cervical HPV disease,&rdquo he said. (Source: Njabulo Dlamini, The Swazi Observer, 16 May, 2006).

Keywords	This Item is associated with the Following Keywords: .
You Can Comment on this Item, or View other people's Comments
Easy Print  Email to a friend

	Related News
	Cancer vaccine approval urged (2006-01-27) Women still in the dark about cervical cancer (2002-11-07) FDA Approves Vaccine That Should Prevent Most Cervical Cancers (2006-06-09) Cancer risk soars in HIV-positive people (2008-05-30) Large, Randomized Study Confirms HPV Testing Is More Sensitive Than Both Conventional and Liquid-Based Pap Test (2006-06-09)

	Related Publications
	Cervical cancer - is vaccination the way to go? (2008-08-14) Cervical Cancer and HIV: The intimate connection (2009-03-31) The importance of choice (2008-08-14) Lesbian health: more than screening for breast cancer and mental health (2008-10-14) Reproductive Health (2000-05-16)

	Related Health Statistics
	Cervical cancer screening coverage (2006-06-21) Cervical cancer screening effective coverage (2008-07-12) Percentage men with painful urination, genital symptoms (0000-00-00) Immunisation coverage of children 12-23 months (%) (0000-00-00) Contraceptive prevalence rate (any method) (0000-00-00)

	Related Events
	Women's Health - Cervical Cancer Awareness Month (2007-09-01) Women's Health Month - CANSA - Cervical Cancer Awareness (2008-08-01) Cervical Health Month (2006-09-01) First African AIDS Vaccine Programme (AAVP) Forum (2002-06-03) Women's Health - CANSA - Breast Cancer Awareness Month (2008-10-01)

	Related links
	Your Cancer Risk CancerNet Women, Children and HIV Health-wa.net About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products

	Related Content
	Treatment Monitor: 60% roundtables 2008 – PHASA and WBS (2008-06-19) Treatment Monitor: Treatment as part of a continuum of care (2007-07-11) Women & HIV and AIDS Gauge/The Treatment Monitor (2004-03-31) The Southern African Development Community Project on Sexually Transmitted Infections in High Transmission Areas (2005-09-21) Treatment Monitor: Sexual and Reproductive Intentions (2008-02-14)