Research: Cancer wipeout

A new vaccine could prevent up to 93 per cent of cervical cancers in Australia, a milestone researchers say could almost eradicate the cancer and mean women would need just three human papillomavirus tests in their whole life. The largest study to analyse cervical cancer samples has found that the current Gardasil vaccine — including HPV type 16 and 18 — prevents 77 per cent of cancers in Australia, higher than the international prevalence of 71 per cent. Using new sophisticated tissue-sampling techniques, the Royal Women Hospital’s Infectious Diseases research team and Victorian Cytology Service analysed almost 850 cervical cancer tissue samples to find that a further 16 per cent of cases were caused by the five next most common HPV types, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58. These five types are included in the next vaccine, called Gardasil 9, being considered for inclusion on the national vaccination schedule by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.

Adelaide Advertiser, 10/08/2017, Page 10; Courier Mail, 10/08.2017, Page 3; Herald Sun, 10/08/2017, Page 3

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