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-- Currently, there are more than 20 million people infected with a
genital HPV infection in the U.S.
-- There are 6.2 million new HPV infections annually, with more than 80
percent of people (men and women) acquiring the infection at some point
in their lives
-- Sixty percent of girls will contract the HPV infection by the time they
are 16 years of age or within 4 years of sexual debut.
-- Of the girls infected, 2/3 will clear the infection within 2 years
without intervention, although 10 percent will not be able to clear
infection at all and will go on to develop high-risk HPV or cervical
cancer
-- HPV is considered the "common cold" of STIs
-- Strains 16 and 18 account for more than 70 percent of HPV infections
-- Type 16 is responsible for more than half of all cervical cancers,
which Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline) and Gardasil (Merck) are designed to
specifically target
Attending the conference were women, their families and friends from across the United States, all of whom have been affected in some way by HPV and/or cervical cancer, whether survivors or those seeking additional information. The main goal for the conference was to educate these women and provide them with the tools and information they need to become advocates for HPV and cervical cancer prevention within their own communities.
Inspiring a sisterhood among attendees, the women also focused on the
stigma attached to having this specific type of cancer, especially since it
is related to a sexually transmitted infection. Many women were made to
feel shamed or dirty when they were diagnosed with HPV, even though it is
the most common sexually transmitted infection. Many women addressed the
fact that when they received their diagnosis of cervical can
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| SOURCE National Cervical Cancer Coalition Copyright©2007 PR Newswire. All rights reserved |