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Cervical Cancer

Cancer Society Recommends HPV Vaccine Guidelines

(iVillage Total Health) - Women and girls considering getting the new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine should remember this: the shots do not protect you against all types of HPV and regular cervical cancer screenings are still important.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recently released guidelines for those who should get the new vaccine, called Gardasil, which was approved last year by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent cervical cancer. According to the ACS, an estimated 11,150 new cases of invasive cancer of the cervix will be diagnosed in the United States in 2007 and approximately 3,670 women are likely to die from the disease this year.

There are more than 100 different types of HPV. Some of the viruses can cause common warts found on areas like the hands and feet. However, more than 30 types are usually sexually transmitted and are known as genital human papillomavirus. Genital HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

HPV is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, usually through vaginal, oral or anal sex. In women, the virus is usually detected during a gynecological exam with a Pap smear, a test that detects changes on the cervix which may indicate pre-cancerous lesions.

According to the FDA, the Gardasil vaccine is effective against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause nearly 70 percent of cervical cancers, and against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause about 90 percent of genital warts. The vaccine is administered in three injections given over a six-month period. Because the vaccine does not protect against 100 percent of cervical cancers, the ACS stresses the importance of continued screening for sexually active girls and women even after they are vaccinated.

The ACS recommends routine HPV vaccinations for girls 11 and 12 years old to protect them against HPV infection before they become sexually active. The vaccine can be given to girls as young as 9 years old and for women up to 26 years of age. According to the ACS, there is currently not enough evidence to recommend universal vaccination of women 19 to 26. The shots are not recommended for women over 26 or males.

The guidelines were developed by a panel of experts convened by the ACS after the FDA approved the new vaccine. The recommendations were published in the January/February issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Copyright 2007 iVillage Total Health.