Cancer: Research shows single vaccine could protect against cancer
A single vaccine to prevent cervical cancer could be developed, following research revealed at this year's European Cancer Conference.
It has been found that 90%-100% of women diagnosed with cervical cancer test positive for certain types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
Although HPV - a common sexually transmitted infection - is harmless in many cases, frequent bouts of certain types of the infection can increase the risk of cervical cancer.
Dr Xavier Bosch, of the Institut Catala d'Oncologia in Barcelona, said the findings provide strong rationale for the development of an anti-HPV vaccine.
"Women who are not infected persistently with one of the cancer-causing types of HPV do not develop cervical cancer and this knowledge is helping us develop effective prevention programmes," he said.
It is estimated that each year in Europe, 65,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed, of which 21,000 eventually lead to death.
Bosch believes that in Europe and North America a vaccine including HPV 16 and 18 - the most common types of the virus - would prevent 72% of cases among the vaccinated. A vaccine containing types 16, 18, 33, 31 and 45 would, he says, cover 84% of cases.
The HPV vaccinations are in an experimental stage. Bosch warned they would be expensive to introduce, but worth it in the long run.
"The gains in the longer term would be huge, both in terms of healthcare costs and in womens' quality of life. In the meantime, participation in effective screening programmes, particularly if they include HPV testing, can detect and prevent many potential cases of cervical cancer at a very early stage," he said.
