Former President Bush to Help Battle Cervical and Breast Cancer

President George W. Bush and wife Laura

The battle against breast and cervical cancer does not lie solely within the United States. In other countries, the rates of incidence are at an alarmingly high rate. Next month Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush are heading to Africa for four days to visit medical clinics and meeting with government and health officials. He views this upcoming trip as a "natural extension" of the program launched while he was in office that targets AIDS in Africa.

This new program, called the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon initiative has three goals:

• To reduce deaths from cervical cancer by an estimated 25% from the women who are screened and treated in this program
• Significantly increase access to breast and cervical cancer prevention, access and treatment
• To create innovative models that can be scaled up and used globally

This initiative and its founding members seek to collaborate and support national and local leaders in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. You may be asking, what is the link or relationship between cervical cancer and HIV? It is well known that those infected with the HIV disease will have immune systems that are weaker, and therefore more susceptible to other disease including cancer. Cervical cancer is 4-5 times more common in women who are HIV+ than those who are negative.

Those behind this program believe combining HIV and cervical cancer prevention, screening, treatment and care will be a cost-effective way to successfully battle both diseases. Especially when as Dr. Eric G. Bing, director of global health at the Bush Institute, finds that it's often more difficult for African women to reveal they have cancer of the reproductive organs than to say they have HIV.  He said this is because there are more support groups and treatments available for HIV than cervical cancer. Wow!

What do you think? Do you think combining efforts will result in lower rates of infection? 

Sources of Information:
Associated Press
Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon Initiative
USA Today

We Give Thanks!

Via

The Two Mujeres wish you all a wonderful and healthy Thanksgiving with your loved ones. We give thanks to all of you! We want to thank you for your continued support, sharing your stories of survival with us, and giving us the motivation to continue giving cervical cancer a voice. Above all earthly possessions, the one that we truly give thanks for is the blessing of life.
xxo Helen & Patti

Are Do-It-Yourself Cervical Cancer Tests- Coming to a Store Near You?

Via

Could a do-it-yourself test for cervical cancer potentially save lives? That's what researchers behind a recent trial study in Mexico believe. In countries where getting a routine pap smears is difficult because access to these exams is extremely limited, the do-it-yourself test may be a viable option to prevent thousands of new cases.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide, with 500,000 new cases and 250,000 deaths each year according to the World Health Organization. The resounding majority of cases are linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus behind cervical cancer. Limited, or even no access to screening means that when women finally do screen for cervical cancer, if it is present, it is often found and diagnosed at the later and more deadlier stages.

A closer look at the research study

• The purpose of the test was to see if the sensitivity (how many women that are positive are correctly identified as having the disease) and precision (probability that a positive test reflects the underlying condition being tested for) of HPV vaginal samples collected at home in comparison to those collected at a clinic.
• Participants were randomly chosen and between 25-65 years of age. They were also from medically underserved, predominantly rural communities in Mexico.
• Results showed the do-it-yourself test picked up more than four times as many cases of cervical cancer and more than three times as many cases of a pre-cancer condition called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, which can be treated to prevent the disease developing
• High rate of "false positives", or the test indicating the woman has cervical cancer, only to be found later on that they do not. 

Questions to ask:

• How are the do-it-yourself tests going to be distributed to women? What kind of instructions will be included? Will there be a phone number or contact person to call for questions?
• Since this research targeted women who have limited to no means to pay for a traditional pap smear, who is going to pay for the do-it-yourself test? Will it be distributed free of cost or a low cost?
• How will the rate of false positives affect health care services?

What do you think? A quick search on google show other do-it-yourself kits (for example HIV testing) readily available at your local Walgreens or CVS. Do you think the whole do-it-yourself concept is an acceptable alternative than seeing a doctor? 

Time to Speak Up!!

On Wednesday, October 18th, 2011, a  Federal Advisory panel stated that it won't endorse HPV screening for cervical cancer and will recommend giving Pap tests only every three years in women between ages 21 and 65.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) also recommended against testing for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), in women younger than age 30, and said there was insufficient evidence to justify it for women over 30.

The USPSTF is inviting public comment on its draft recommendation statement on screening for cervical cancer.  The opportunity to comment on this draft will be available until November 16th, 2011.

Let Your VOICE Be Heard!!  As survivors, advocates and supporters we know that these tests are essential for an early detection to prevent a cervical cancer diagnosis.

I am living proof that not having a pap test for three years can lead to endure a long and difficult journey and will also make you come face to face with your own mortality.  Do NOT let anyone play Russian Roulette with your life. 

Please comment, and give a voice to the voiceless.  I did!!!

To provide comments, please go to http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/tfcomment.htm.

Prevention and Early Detection Saves Lives!!!!

Editors' Note:  The evidence report was published in the October 18 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine and is available on the USPSTF Web site at   http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf11/cervcancer/cervcancerupd.htm.

 

HPV Vaccine and Boys

Via

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices  voted to recommend that boys (and young men) from the ages of 11-21, be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the virus responsible for causing cancer in both men and women. For women certain strains cause cervical cancer, and in men HPV is responsible for causing throat, anal and penile cancers.


Why vaccinate?
Vaccination helps to prevent cancer. It also prevent boys/young men from potentially passing HPV to their partners.


It's cost effective. The vaccine is given in a three-part series, with each dose costing around $120. The vaccine is expensive and now with this recommendation, most private insurance companies will now pay for the vaccine. Also as someone pointed out, "people will pay $400 for an iPhone but not the vaccine to prevent cervical cancer".

What this vaccine will NOT do
Some very misinformed sources (Michele Bachmann) claim that the vaccine will cause some harmful side effects. As with anything, I ask "where is the evidence, what does the research indicate". All vaccines and medications will have some side effects, even tylenol. As for the concerns raised by Michele Bachmann, studies performed by the CDC show no evidence that the HPV vaccine causes mental retardation.


Another myth/concern is that this vaccine promotes sexual promiscuity. The vaccine works best before exposure to any strain of the HPV virus and before sexual activity. I have to also say that abstinence is always the best method to prevent any sexually transmitted infection/disease. We routinely vaccinate our children for diseases they can be exposed to as adults like Hepititis B. Why not the same strong reaction against vaccinating like for HPV? One of the things we can do is to empower our children is to educate them. 

Its your choice
It's your choice to vaccinate your child or not, but make an informed decision.


Sources of information:
CDC
CNN 
NY Times