New data support HPV vaccination programme
BSIP VEM/Science Photo Library
Human papillomavirus: vaccination follow-up important |
Up to 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases and 95 per cent of genital
wart cases could be prevented by the introduction of a human papillomavirus
(HPV) vaccination programme in the UK, according to modelling research
carried out by the Health Protection Agency. The finding comes as the
second HPV vaccine — Cervarix — is launched
in the UK
The data, presented at the HPA’s annual conference held at Warwick
University last week, suggest that cases of cervical cancer prevented
through vaccination against HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 in 12-year-old
girls would be in addition to the cancer cases already prevented by the
NHS cervical screening programme.
The researchers considered the cost of the vaccine, the cost to the health
service of treating cases of cervical cancer and genital warts, and the
effect of these conditions on quality of life. They concluded that HPV
vaccination is likely to be an effective use of health care resources
if the vaccine protects girls against the virus for at least 20 years.
However, lead researcher Mark Jit warned that there are still uncertainties
in the model the researchers used. “If a decision is made to proceed
with HPV vaccination, then follow-up of vaccinated women for several
decades will be important to verify predictions about the long-term impact
of vaccination,” he said.
Pat Troop, chief executive of the HPA, said: “This study supports
the hope that HPV vaccination can improve health in the UK in coming
years.” However, she added: “Cervical screening will remain
important and the best way for older women (who are unvaccinated) to
reduce their risk of cervical cancer. Also, current vaccines do not protect
against all HPV types that cause cervical cancer, and screening will
remain the best way to protect against disease caused by these other
types.”
A separate HPA study presented at the conference estimated that at least
10 per cent of young women in England have been infected with one or
more strains of HPV by the age of 16 years. The study investigated the
proportion of 1,483 women aged between 10 and 29 years who had antibodies
indicating HPV infection. The results suggested that from the age of
14 years, the risk of HPV infection increases sharply.
Gardasil data Data
from secondary analysis of two phase III studies indicate that
the HPV vaccine
Gardasil protects against precancerous cervical lesions caused
by 10 cancer-causing HPV types, in addition to the four virus types
directly targeted by the vaccine.
During a mean follow-up of three
years, Gardasil prevented 38 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval
6–60) of precancerous lesions in HPV-naive women. The 10
virus types are thought to account for 16 per cent of cervical
cancers in Europe.
The data were presented at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial
Agents and Chemotherapy, held in Chicago,
last week.
Gardasil
was launched last
year (PJ, 21
October 2006, p469). |
|
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