Posts Tagged ‘cervical cancer’

Amidst the hubbub caused by the new breast cancer screening guidelines put forth by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, new cervical cancer screening guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists were revealed this past week with much less controversy. According to ACOG, “A review of the evidence to date shows that screening at less frequent intervals prevents cervical cancer just as well, has decreased costs, and avoids unnecessary interventions that could be harmful.” The new recommendation is to screen women between the ages of 21 and 30 every two years instead of annually. Women 30 and older with a history of 3 consecutive negative pap smears may be screened every 3 years. Recommendations for older women remain unchanged – those 65 to 70 who have had 3 consecutive negative pap smears and no abnormal results within the past 10 years may consider stopping cervical cancer screening. Of course, every person’s medical history is different and these guidelines should be only used as such. Appropriate screening frequencies should always be discussed and formulated between you and your physician. [via ACOG]

Visit the Cervical Cancer Guide and learn about pap smears.

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Simone Davis, a 17 year-old British girl has been denied US permanent residency because she refused to take the Gardasil vaccine, which protects against a few strains of HPV and reduces the risk of cervical cancer. Since 2008, the US government has required that female immigrants between the ages of 11 to 26 applying for permanent residency or refugee status receive Gardasil, which was approved by the FDA in 2006. According to the 1996 Immigration and Naturalization Act girls and women within a specified age group must receive vaccinations against certain specified diseases “and any other vaccinations recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices. Said Davis, “I am only 17 years old and planning to go to college and not have sex anytime soon. There is no chance of getting cervical cancer, so there’s no point in getting the shot.” A devout Christian, Simone has taken a virginity pledge and plans to attend Pensacola Christian College, where she was conditionally accepted, pending her legal status. The vaccine is not mandated for girls or women who are already legal US residents. [via ABC News]

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Since the introduction of their Gardasil vaccine (marketed for the prevention of cervical cancer in women), pharmaceutical giant Merck has been wanting to expand the vaccine’s use to include males. Currently, the vaccine is approved for use in girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26. If Merck has its way Gardasil will be used in boys and men ages 9 to 26 as well. In documents posted online, the FDA said the vaccine prevented genital warts in males 90 percent of the time. Based on this the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is supporting the use of Gardasil in males. However, it is unlikely that the use of the vaccine will prevent a significant amount of penile and anal cancers, compared with cervical cancer. Cancer of the penis and anus are extremely rare, with less than 2,000 cases reported annually. Gardasil was approved for women in 2006 and had sales over $1 billion last year. [via CBS News]

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