VACCINE

Journal Of Vaccines & Vaccination • November 2010
Review of Gardasil
Author information
Harper DM1, Vierthaler SL, Santee JA.
Professor of Medicine, Director
Center of Excellence in Women’s Health
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
Departments of Biomedical and Health Informatics
Obstetrics and Gynecology and Community and Family Medicine
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is necessary for the development of cervical
cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women
worldwide but 80% occurs in developing countries, not countries
with Pap screening programs. Pap screening programs in industrialized
countries have reduced the incidence of cervical cancer to 4-8/100,000
women. HPV vaccines may be a promising strategy for cervical cancer
in women without access to screening programs. In industrialized
countries, the benefit of HPV vaccines focuses on individual abnormal
Pap test reduction not cancer prevention. The focus of this review is to
cover the side effects of Gardasil in perspective with the limited population
benefit cervical cancer reduction in countries with organized Pap
screening programs. In addition, information about Gardasil benefits,
risks and unknowns for individual patient decision making for vaccination
is presented. Gardasil offers protection against CIN 2+ lesions
caused by HPV 16/18 and against genital warts caused by HPV 6/11
for at least 5 years. Combining Gardasil with repeated cytology screenings
may reduce the proportion of abnormal cytology screens and hence
reduce the associated morbidity with the subsequent colposcopies and
excisional procedures.
“Pap screening programs
in industrialized countries
have reduced the incidence of cervical cancer
to 4-8/100,000 women.
HPV vaccines
may be a promising strategy
for cervical cancer in women
without access to screening programs.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23805398