AN INITIATIVE
TO VACCINATE all 12- and 13-year-old young women against a cancer
causing virus is being introduced in North Lincolnshire and North
East Lincolnshire.
The
vaccination scheme will begin in mid-September for Year 8 girls
across the region, offering them long-term protection against the
virus.
Cervical
cancer kills more than 1,000 women a year in the UK
- many young women in their 20s.
Currently,
cervical cancer screening is offered to all women over the age of
20. Screening practices have saved thousands of lives by detecting
the very early stages of cervical cancer, when the disease is
easily treatable.
However, the
screening process isn't preventive and many women have to undergo
invasive and painful procedures to remove abnormal cells that could
develop in to cancer.
The vaccine –
Cervarix – will vaccinate against the human papillomavirus (HPV)
that can cause abnormal cells to develop in the cervix. If left
undetected, these cells can develop in to cancer.
By
vaccinating against the virus up to 70 per cent of cervical cancer
cases will be prevented – saving hundreds of lives a year and
sparing families the heartache of watching a loved one suffer
through cancer.
The aim is
for every secondary schoolgirl under the age of 18 to have received
the vaccine by August 2009.
'The
introduction of this vaccine is a real breakthrough in the fight
against cancer,' said Shona.
'Screening
has been very effective at picking up on the early warning signs,
but we all know we need to use as much ammunition as we can to stop
people developing cancer. The vaccine doubles the amount of
protection that our daughters, granddaughters and nieces can have
as they get older.
'By combining
the vaccine with regular screening we’re beating cancer on two
fronts.
'But I’d also
encourage women to keep being vigilant when it comes to their
bodies. The vaccine needs to be used alongside traditional
screening methods to enjoy the best protection.
'I’d never
have believed 20 ago that we would be vaccinating
people against cancer. There are certainly high hopes of other
cancer vaccines being developed in the future.'
4
September 2008
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