New vaccination against cervical cancer for girls - what are general thoughts on it.

[mears]

I am not sure.

My 14 year ols DD will be offered it soon but there has never been cervical cancer in our family and I am sure, like me she will have regular screening.

You worry about what vaccinations can do to the rest of your system to some extent.

Any thoughts?

Boys are not being given it

Boys not included in current plans. Seems like a missed opportunity to me.

that would be paralyse - unlikely

but not dying from cancer - more likely

The HPV virus is only thought to be the cause of 70-80% of all cervical cancers so no giraffe abstanance doesn't mean you are immune im afraid.

Mears i am aware of the controversy over the vaccine.

As i say, i shall certainly do a lot of research onto this one when teh time comes but as Dd is only 3 i have plenty of time. plus i would hope there is a lot more known about the longer term effects by then so i shall have more information to make an informed decision.

Mamazon - I think that is what is worrying me. There doesn't seem to be enough known about the long term side effects, how long it is even effective for.

I'm glad you've started this thread as it's something I've been wondering about for dd2, 12yo. As she's not at school in Scotland she won't get called up for it but we'll pay privately if necessary. Dd1 is 21 and asked her Dr about having it last week. He was really good, discussing it at length with her but told her that the jury is still out wrt to older girls, unfortunately.

thanks emma

I should upfront declare a bias as I work for one of the companies making one of the vaccines (so my annual bonus is in a small way dependent on its success!) and don't want you to think I'm pro the vaccine for monetary reasons

Having said that, I am currently being seen 6 monthly to check on pre-cancerous cells in my cervix and have been for the last 3 years. These were picked up by regular cervical smear tests. I was told I have HPV which is why the cells have changed. FWIW I have had a very small number of sexual partners (definitely need less than one hand to count!), so it isn't promiscuity that has caused my HPV... So the debate that there has been in the US that you don't need the vaccine if you are going to be a good girl and wait for marriage is daft in my view...

I now have 6 monthly checks, internal exams, smears and biopsies taken. Nothing painful, but uncomfortable and I'd rather not have to do it obviously.

Of course, I'm one of the relatively unlucky ones (although lucky that they caught the cell changes early and they haven't progressed further) and for many women the vaccine would be unnecessary as they may never have a problem. We just don't know which women would and which wouldn't, so if I ever have a daughter I'd probably let her have the vaccine as I wouldn't want her to have unnecessary internal exams, and the worry every 6 months waiting for the results to come through for the sake of saving her from one jab as a teen. And that's even before you consider that this vaccine could also ultimately prevent her developing cancer which could kill her or leave her unable to have children.

Thanks HolidaysQueen

Holidaysqueen are you a medical rep?

I work in medical devices but would be interested in a job selling vaccines what is it like? which company is it?
can you do it part time?

TIA

2 women a day die from cervical cancer in the UK - and thats with one of the most far reaching screening campaigns in the UK.

Increasingly we (I work in radiotherapy, particularly in a type used for treating cervical cancer)are seeing really young women with cervical cancer - 27 is the average age of patients with invasive, mid stage cancer in Bristol being treated. These women almost all have HPV, and almost all smoke (a major factor in cervical cancer as the toxins are concentrated over 1500 times in the mucosa).

Every years delay in mass immunisation means that more women die - thats the hard cold facts of it, so if we waited for 20 years for long term follow up of women immunised as part of a trial (and it would have to be large numbers to make statistical sense) it would be 40 years before we started to see results from vaccination.

I'll pay for DS to be immunised privately so that I know he isn't spreading HPV.

i don't want my dd to have it.

Dare I ask why?

i think the whole population should be offered the vacination.
i don't think enough is known about the vacine.
everyone was merrily taking hrt, the pill etc etc until the side effects became clear. i think women's bodies are messed about with too much for the convenience of society.

Oh ok

There is no way the whole population would be offered it.

1 for a cost issue

2 if they give it to the likes of me and you chances are we have already been exposed to HPV so it would be useless.

3 I would rather dd have a risk of side effects which I think are negligable anyway, rather than have the risk of catching HPV and develop cervical cancer.

Anyhow your decision of course

I'll be giving this vaccine in my new job, and my DD will be getting it.

i don't like it that it's three jabs. i hope by the time DD1 is of the age it will be only one jab.

i have two strains of HPV that predispose one to forming abnormal cell changes in the cervix.

it doesn't matter if there is no history of cervical cancer in your family, there's none in mine, but i do have HPV nonetheless and have had a LEEP treatment for abnormal cells in the past.

i agree with emma in that boys should also be vaccinated.

i donated my biopsy sample to medical research into this vaccine.

True point, Mamazon.

The actress Brooke Shields is infertile from HPV/cervical cell abnormality treatment.

She developed CINII/III in her endocervical canal and needed what is called a cone biopsy for treatment.

Scar tissue that formed in her cervix from this acts as a barrier to sperm and she had to use assisted reproduction to conceive.

hijack, sorry - lilymolly - i'm not a rep (work in business side funding research). work for gsk - good company to work for, and lots of people do part time stuff so am sure you can as a rep. you can CAT me or email on [email protected] if you want some more info.

didn't mean whole population i meant to say male and female teenagers.

how do you know the side effects are neglible. i just don't think it has been out there long enough.

Oh thanks holidaysqueen

I have worked for pharma as a rep before but never as a vacc rep.

Not looking for work until another 18 months as preg due March 09 and having 12 months off

Just thought it sounds like a good job.

My thoughts regarding a family history of cervical cancer was in the respect that perhaps there is a natural immunity to HPV?

Pity that cannot be tested for

I feel uneasy about it too mears

i doubt there's any natural immunity to the virus, especially because it's several different strains that have been implicated in the increased likelihood to develop cervical cell abnormalities, as far as i know.

again, NO ONE in my family have ever had so much as an abnormal smear, and this is in the US where women were, until recently, screened annually.

my mother also smoked.