Gardasil: Cervical Cancer Vaccine

Associated OB/GYN physicians offer “Gardasil,” the vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer, for the prevention of cervical, vulvar and vaginal pre-cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), and for the prevention of genital warts.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Gardasil on June 8, 2006.

Gardasil & HPV Facts

• Gardasil is the first vaccine designed to prevent cancer.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV.
• At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives.
• By age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired genital HPV infection.
• About 6.2 million Americans get a new genital HPV infection each year.
• Approximately 10,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and an average of 10 women die each day from this cancer.
• HPV also causes approximately 40 to 50 percent of the more than 3,500 cases of vulvar and vaginal cancer that are diagnosed each year in the U.S.; about three women die each day from these two cancers.
• Certain types of HPV cause genital warts.
• Approximately 1 million cases of genital warts occur each year in the United States and an estimated 32 million cases occur worldwide.
• HPV-related diseases cost about $5 billion per year in the United States.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gardasil

What is the generic name of Gardasil?

Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (Types 6, 11, 16, 18) Recombinant Vaccine

What is Gardasil and what is it used for?

Gardasil is a vaccine (injection/shot) that helps protect against the following diseases caused by the sexually transmitted Human Papillomavirus Virus (HPV):

• Cervical cancer (cancer of the lower end of the uterus or womb)
• Abnormal and precancerous cervical lesions
• Abnormal and precancerous vaginal lesions
• Abnormal and precancerous vulvar lesions, genital warts

Gardasil helps prevent these diseases—but it will not treat them. You or your child cannot get these diseases from Gardasil.

What other key information about Gardasil should I know?

• Vaccination does not substitute for routine cervical cancer screening (i.e. pap smear). Females who receive Gardasil should continue yearly cervical cancer screening.
• As with all vaccines, Gardasil may not fully protect everyone who receives it.
• Gardasil will not protect against diseases due to non-vaccine HPV types. There are more than 100 HPV types; Gardasil helps protect against four types (6, 11, 16, and 18). These four types have been selected for Gardasil because they cause approximately 70 percent of cervical cancers and 90 percent of genital warts.
• This vaccine will not protect you against HPV types to which you may have already been exposed.
• Gardasil also will not protect against other diseases that are not caused by HPV.
• Gardasil works best when given before you or your child has any contact with certain types of HPV (i.e., HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18).

Who can receive Gardasil?

Gardasil is for females ages 9 through 26.

Who should not receive Gardasil?

Anyone who:

• Is allergic to yeast or any other of the ingredients in the vaccine
• Has an allergic reaction after getting a dose of the vaccine

What should I tell my health care professional before I am vaccinated or my child is vaccinated with Gardasil?

It is very important to tell your health care professional if you or your child:

• Has had an allergic reaction to the vaccine
• Has a bleeding disorder and cannot receive injections in the arm
• Has a weakened immune system, for example, due to a genetic defect or HIV infection
• Is pregnant or is planning to get pregnant. Gardasil is not recommended for use in pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding
• Has any illness with a fever more than 100°F (37.8°C)

How is Gardasil given?

Gardasil is given as an injection.  You or your child will receive 3 doses of the vaccine.

• First dose: at a date you and your health care professional choose.
• Second dose: two months after the first dose.
• Third dose: six months after the first dose.

Make sure that you or your child gets all three doses.

What are the possible side effects of Gardasil?

As with all vaccines, there may be some side effects. Gardasil has been shown to be generally well tolerated in women and girls as young as 9 years of age.

The most commonly reported side effects included:

• Pain, swelling, itching, and redness at the injection site.
• Fever.
• Difficulty breathing (bronchospasm) has been reported very rarely.

If you or your child has any unusual or severe symptoms after receiving Gardasil, contact your physician right away or go to the Emergency Department at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland.

What are the ingredients in Gardasil?

The main ingredients are purified inactive proteins that come from HPV Types 6, 11, 16, and 18. It also contains amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate, sodium chloride, L-histidine, polysorbate 80, sodium borate, and water for injection.

What are cervical cancer, precancerous lesions, and genital warts?

• Cancer of the cervix is a serious disease that can be life threatening. This disease is caused by certain HPV types that can cause the cells in the lining of the cervix to change from normal to precancerous lesions. If these are not treated, they can turn cancerous.
• Certain types of HPV cause genital warts. They often appear as skin-colored growths. They are found on the inside or outside of the genitals. They can hurt, itch, bleed, and cause discomfort. These lesions are usually not precancerous. Sometimes, it takes multiple treatments to eliminate these lesions.

What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?

HPV is a common virus. In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 20 million people in the United States had this virus. There are many different types of HPV; some cause no harm. Others can cause diseases of the genital area. For most people the virus goes away on its own. When the virus does not go away it can develop into cervical cancer, precancerous lesions, or genital warts, depending on the HPV type.

Who is at risk for Human Papillomavirus?

In 2005, the CDC estimated that at least 50 percent of sexually active people catch HPV during their lifetime. A male or female of any age who takes part in any kind of sexual activity that involves genital contact is at risk. Many people who have HPV may not show any signs or symptoms. This means that they can pass on the virus to others and not know it.

Will Gardasil help me if I already have Human Papillomavirus?

You may benefit from Gardasil if you already have HPV. This is because most people are not infected with all four types of HPV contained in the vaccine. In clinical trials, individuals with current or past infection with one or more vaccine-related HPV types prior to vaccination were protected from disease caused by the remaining vaccine HPV types. Gardasil is not intended for treatment of the above-mentioned diseases.

Note: This information does not take the place of talking with your health care professional about Gardasil.