HPV Vaccine (Cervical Cancer)

[candyshandy]

As a person who has had HPV and consequently precancer cells I must say that I wish I'd have had it a vaccine.

There is a history of cervical cancer in my family and as a result I have been vigilant re testing etc. It is 12 years ago since I had the treatment but I still insist on an annual smear.

I was only 21 when it was found that I had contracted HPV and was told by the specialist that it is extremely common and that the only women who wouldn't be at risk of getting it are nuns!! I think he was trying to make me feel like I wasn't a slapper!

[Fran]

Hmmmm, not sure what to think about all this now. I have just given consent for my daughter to have this course of vaccines but I may change my mind as obviously there is more to this than meets the eye. I think I need to know more about it tbh. Obviously they tell you what they think they should and other details are ommitted from their information sheets. I shall contact the releveant dept. to discuss my concerns I think.

[Brigoose]

Don't want to scare anyone but 8 deaths have been linked to the vaccine in the USA, i'll find the story if anyone is interested

[meep]

Brigoose, that's really interesting, thanks for posting.

I've realised, since my first post, that the vaccine used in teh USA and the vaccine currently being used in the UK are two seperate vaccines, that have different ingredients and target different strains of the virus. Do you know if the facts you posted, Brigoose, are in relation to the UK vaccine or the US vaccine? The UK one was developed by an Australlian man so will also be used in Oz I'm guessing.

[furriefriend]

Hi I am new here. My daughter has ask about this her in england it is not automatically being offered to her age group16. I believ they are starting with younger kids. Interesting information you have fund and I am going to investigate more before we think about her having it, yes it is very new and although i mam sure testare done I am verysceptcal about alot of medical stuff. Incidently I dont believe cervical cancer is genetic/familal or anything it is carried if thats the correct term by sexual contac throught the hpv virus . Girls who never have sex everdo not develop cervical cancer. Boys also need educating on this regarding personal hygeine which can make all the difference. Sorry that a bit of a full on post for my first one!. Perhaps I had better stick to cats . Useful info meep thanks.

[candyshandy]

My Nan had a hysterectomy and eventually died of stomach cancer (secondary), Mum has had pre cancer cells, I've had pre cancer cells and my sister also developed HPV. I certainly believe that there is a genetic 'weakness' in my family.

[furriefriend]

Yes i agree with people having a predisposition to certain things if they are exposed to it, I just meant that it comes from an outside organism and if you arent exposed to it you wont get it. it isnt airborne for example like a cold. That said I am really not sure about my daughter having it and it is interesting that diferent countries are giving immunity from different strains. What is that supposed to mean, sounds a bit like the hib vaccine and kennel cough it only vaccinates you or the dog against some strains not all. They dont advertise that too strongly. It makes you believe once you have had a vaccine you are covered. Sorry I am getting on my soap box. Comes of having a sisiter who is practices homeopathy you get all sorts of other views then.

[meep]

Yes, that is one thing that has caught the mainstream media's attention; that they HPV vaccine only vaccinates against two strains of the virus (14 and 15 I think) but there are many other straings. The one used in America vaccinates against DIFFERENT strains. There are lots of things about this vaccine that are odd. Such as it only vaccinates for a certain amount of time, and if you contract the virus it can take up to 30 years for it to turn cancerous, by which time the vaccine will have worn off (if girls get it at 14), so the huge amount of government cash being injected into this seems a bit wasted. They also promoted on the back of "no more embarrasing cervical smears" but then said that girls WILL still need to get smear tests, as the vaccine isn't 100% as it doesn't prevent against all strains of the virus (going round in circles).

Candyshandy, I agree that everyone is different and everyone knows their own family history and whether the vaccine would be right for them. However, int he case of cervical cancer, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that cervical cancer generally only develops out of contracting the HPV virus which MUST be passed on from one individual to the next (and so it isn't related to family medical history); and this vaccine only protects against this virus.

Also, I believe some people may want to get the vaccine if, like yourself, they know there is a higher risk of cancer in the family medical cancer. I was just concerned that it was being offered free to every teenage girl in Scotland when not all of them may have a higher risk of contracting cancer etc.

The deaths linked to the vaccine in the US are what first alerted me to the dubious side of the vaccine, but since then I have discovered that the vaccine used in the US is different to the one used here in the UK. HOwever, the problem remains that it hasn't been around long enough for us to know the long term effects...

[candyshandy]

HPV is extremely common and my understanding (from the doctors) is that in some cases it can mutate into cancer whereas in others it will not.

Where I believe the genetics come in is that due to my family history (and my own personal past problems) I am more likely for HPV to mutate than not. This in fact happened.
Luckily it was caught early and I was heavily monitored. Unfortunately that meant tri monthly checks, heat treatment and finally a hospital stay and a cone biopsy. Then another 2 years of quarterly internal checks and then annual checks.
HPV in my case did not take long to mutate either - maximum 5 yrs.

Its clearly a personal choice but one I wish I could have had all those years ago.

[meep]

Thanks for filling in those facts candyshandy; that is really interesting. I'm so sorry to hear you had to go through all those procedures, but it is good to hear it was caught early and well monitored. As you said, it is personal choice, absolutely. And as I've said, that's why it worries that the campaign up here in Scotland makes it (even tho still a choice) make it a nationwide vaccination. The marketing on it was huge, it was everywhere where you went. I rarely trust anything that is over marketed. But that's just me