Cervical cancer vaccine can save lives
By Angeli Agrawal
Cervical Cancer, a disease that kills almost 3,700 women every year in the United States, has had a significant medical breakthrough, a vaccine. The vaccine focuses on four strains of human papillomavirus responsible for the disease. Although relatively new, the reactions from patients have been positive, with few to no side effects. Not everyone agrees that this vaccine should be prescribed to young girls, the age bracket targeted for this immunization.
Recommended for girls ages nine to twenty six, the vaccine guards against the development of cancer in 70% of the cases studied. Usually, HPV stays in the body for a period of time, and the infection and virus will clear on their own. However, in some cases HPV remains and alters the cells of the cervix, possibly leading to cancer if not detected early with Pap smear tests. Men can carry the virus also, which progresses into genital warts. If they pass HPV to their female partner, there is the possibility of cervical cancer.
Gardasil and Cervavix are the two vaccines created that prevent four strains of the HPV virus from developing in females. The FDA approved Gardasil, Merck and Co.’s vaccine, on June 8. GlaxoSmithKline, another pharmaceutical company, is in the process of getting Cervavix authorized as well. Cervavix is slightly different than Gardasil, as it does not target the strains of HPV that cause genital warts. It is 100% effective against the strains that cause most cases of cervical cancer however, and this breakthrough immunization will mark the competition between Merck and GlaxoSmithKline.
Even though there are many advantages to this immunization, especially if taken by girls who are not yet sexually active, it is not flawless. The four strains of HPV most likely to develop into cervical cancer, types 6, 11, 16 and 18, are targeted. But it is possible that other strains could infect patients. Gardasil is prescribed for girls between the ages of nine to 12, not only because this is usually before they become sexually active, but also because girls have the highest antibody levels at this time. Three shots are required over a six- month period, but follow- up vaccines are needed after a couple years.
Reactions from students and teachers at Harker have varied, with the concern being mainly that Gardasil has been studied for such a short amount of time. Akhila Sure (10) said, “I don’t trust things that are new.” When asked how this vaccine would compare to others required to attend school, she added, “They wouldn’t let you have something that’s dangerous for you,” so if it was required she would be less apprehensive to receive it. Harker Biology teacher Anita Chetty believes in the vaccine, however, and supports it fully. She said, “Anything that is preventive and is available […] why wouldn’t I [get it] if there weren’t any side effects?” In response to Gardasil’s newness in the medical world she responded, “I think there’s enough literature already out there, adequate enough for me.”
Despite the positive aspects of the vaccine, some organizations argue that the vaccine promotes underage sexual activity. Cecilia Cody, director of the abstinence promotion group California Right to Life, said, “[We] do not support the [HPV] vaccine because it indirectly says sex outside marriage is okay.” Right to Life opposes the immunization, arguing that girls are not getting married at the age of 10 and would not be exposed to HPV; therefore there is no need for girls to be immunized. Kaiser Permanente in San Jose is offering Gardasil for free or at reduced cost based on individual insurance plans. But without insurance it is a very pricey vaccine, at $120 per dose; three shots are prescribed for a full immunization. Dr. Ruth Shaber, chief of Women’s Health Services at Kaiser Permanente, explained that the vaccine prevented two strains of HPV shown to cause most cases of cervical cancer, while the other two types cause genital warts. “I’ll be getting my daughter the vaccination,” she added.
States are discussing whether the vaccine should be included on the list of required immunizations for enrollment in school. New Hampshire recently became the first state in the country to offer Gardasil for free to all girls ages 11 to 18, though it still isn’t required for enrollment. As of now, parents have the choice of whether or not to vaccinate their daughters. Dr. Patricia Carlino, a pediatrician at Kaiser who administers the vaccination and the mother of Christina Nixon (12), said, “Half of my patients got it [the vaccine], when they were there [at the clinic] […] the only reason that didn’t get it was that the child didn’t want to get a shot.” She finds that many parents respond positively to the vaccination, as the studies and investigations done were “well done and effective. Out of 20,000 women, none were infected with HPV.” But Carlino specifies that while the vaccine is a medical advancement, it should not be required by schools. “That would be the government getting into people’s lives,” she said, also adding that “[Girls] should be encouraged to get it,” but ultimately it should be the family’s decision.
Because Gardasil demonstrates a huge advancement in HPV research and cervical cancer treatment, the vaccine has received widespread media attention. But the public is not aware of how or why it was discovered. Why HPV, and not other viruses? Shaber attributes the development of this preventive vaccine to the fact that the cause of this particular cancer is known. “We’ve known for quite a while that there are different strains… we looked at the virus itself” to develop the vaccine. The proteins on the outside of the virus are injected in muscle tissue, preventing HPV from infecting the body.
According to the Merck pharmaceutical website, some symptoms of Gardasil include “pain, swelling, itching, and redness at the injection site, fever, nausea, and dizziness.” The harshest side effect recorded is Nasopharyngitis, otherwise known as the common cold. No major symptoms have been experienced in testing and surveys of patients, but Gardasil is still relatively new.
The Harker administration needs to discuss the issue of the cervical cancer vaccine. If it becomes a required immunization, Harker students will have to take it. Will the administration force students to take the vaccine if they do not want to? As of now there are no discussions in place to make the vaccine a requirement. “Shots required are for those [illnesses] that can be caught easily,” said Assistant Head of School Academics , Jennifer Gargano. The administration will have to discuss the subject much more thoroughly if it is going to be required.
While Gardasil and Cervavix are not cures for cancer, they offer hope for a disease that kills many women every year.
