GARDASIL

Disease Burden Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes squamous cell cervical cancer (and its histologic precursor lesions Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia [CIN] 1...See more » Disease Burden Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes squamous cell cervical cancer (and its histologic precursor lesions Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia [CIN] 1 or low grade dysplasia and CIN 2/3 or moderate to high grade dysplasia) and cervical adenocarcinoma (and its precursor lesion adenocarcinoma in situ [AIS]). HPV also causes approximately 35-50% of vulvar and vaginal cancers. Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia (VIN) Grade 2/3 and Vaginal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (VaIN) Grade 2/3 are immediate precursors to these cancers. Cervical cancer prevention focuses on routine screening and early intervention. This strategy has reduced cervical cancer rates by approximately 75% in compliant individuals by monitoring and removing premalignant dysplastic lesions. HPV also causes genital warts (condyloma acuminata) which are growths of the cervicovaginal, vulvar, and the external genitalia that rarely progress to cancer. HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 are common HPV types. HPV 16 and 18 cause approximately: • 70% of cervical cancer, AIS, CIN 3, VIN 2/3, and VaIN 2/3 cases; and • 50% of CIN 2 cases. HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 cause approximately: • 35 to 50% of all CIN 1, VIN 1, and VaIN 1 cases; and • 90% of genital wart cases. Mechanism of Action HPV only infects humans, but animal studies with analogous (animal, not human) papillomavirusesSee less »