Cervical cancer jab offers greater protection

A NEW cervical cancer jab may prevent more cancers than one available in Ireland since last November.

GlaxoSmithKline’s new vaccine, called Cervarix, is expected to be approved for use in Ireland in October and, if preliminary results are borne out, it is capable of protecting women from more strains of the virus that causes the disease than Gardasil.

An international trial involving more than 18,000 women aged 15 to 25 found that while both vaccines protect against the two most common types of the human papilloma virus (HPV), Cervarix also provides lesser protection against three other types.

HPV is transmitted by genital contact and is the main cause of cervical cancer. Up to 80% of sexually active women will catch the virus at some point in their lives. In most women the virus disappears over time.

Ireland has one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in western Europe, with 180 cases diagnosed and more than 70 deaths every year.

The study, published in the latest issue of the Lancet medical journal, found that Cervarix is up to 100% effective in preventing HPV types 16 and 18 that account for a little more than 70% of cervical cancer cases in Europe. It was also found to provide significant protection against virus types 45, 31 and 52.

The study found that the immune response in sexually active women was the same as in non-active women.

The Irish Cancer Society said that while the study was welcome it was crucial that all women aged 25 years or more had regular smear tests because not all cancers could be prevented by the vaccines.

The society also said that it remained to be seen how long the protective effect of the vaccines would last.

The society said it was looking forward to the roll-out of the national cervical screening programme in early 2008 and to reporting on the merits of a mass cervical cancer vaccination programme.

Fears were raised earlier this year that Gardasil might have dangerous side-effects after it was revealed that more than 1,600 reports were made to the US Food and Drug Administration of “adverse events”.

Reports included three deaths from blood clots and heart problems. Reports also included seizures, paralysis and injuries from fainting.

But the FDA and the vaccine’s maker Merck have insisted that the bad reactions were due to underlying health problems.

The Well Woman Centre in Dublin has not received any complaints of an adverse reaction from any of their patients who received the vaccine.