Cervarix, a vaccine intended to protect against the onset of cervical cancer, is most effective when administered during a woman's adolescence, according to European and Russian clinical trials sponsored by European drug-manufactuer Glaxo.
In the clinical trials, Cervarix was almost twice as effective in preventing human papilloma virus (HPV) in girls ages 10 to 14 compared to those ages 15 to 20. Deterrence of HPV is key to inhibiting cervical cancer progression, as the virus accounts for approximately 70 percent of all cervical cancers.
The research team believes that the age disparity in terms of the vaccine's effectiveness is a result of women's sexual activity during adolescence. Because the vaccine was administered before the women became sexually active, the antibodies were able to proliferate at a greater rate than they would in older women who may have already become sexually active and exposed to HPV.
Anna-Barbara Moscicki, M.D., professor of pediatrics at the University of California, told Forbes that the administration of Cervarix at an early age will help deter cervical cancer for a much longer period than if a woman received the vaccine later in life.
"Vaccination of pre-teen and adolescent girls against cancer-causing HPV before onset of sexual activity will be an important part of the overall strategy for cervical cancer prevention," she said.
The findings are sure to fuel the ongoing moral debate over the vaccine. Conservatives believe the vaccine will encourage unprotected sexual activity among adolescents, while others herald the vaccine's potential to dramatically reduce the incidence of cervical cancer.
It is estimated that 270,000 Americans die from cervical cancer each year, although recent technological advances (pap smears, screenings) have decreased the number of cases in the United States.
The results of the clinical trails were presented at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Washington, D.C. Glaxo financed the phase 3 studies.
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