Czech Republic with one of the world's highest incidence of cervical cancer as doctors reach third phase of "miraculous vaccine" trials

In the Czech Republic, over 65,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year and over 28,000 die from the disease. But Czechs seem to be more prone to get some types of cancer than others. Four times as many Czech women are diagnosed with cervical cancer than their Scandinavian counterparts.

This is mainly because this country still lacks an effective cancer prevention programme, as Dr. Eva Hamsikova from the experimental virology department of Prague's Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, told Radio Prague:

"Every year, the number of women with cervical cancer recorded in the Czech Republic is 22 of 100,000 women. The mortality is also very high; some 450-480 women die of cervical cancer. This number is twice as high as the average in the European community. There are many reasons. For example, we do not have enough pre-cancer screenings of cervical lesions in the Czech Republic."

Clinical trials of two promising vaccines against cervical cancer are currently underway at research centres around the world. Initiated by the United States and the European community, some 20,000 women - 1,400 in the Czech Republic - are taking part in the study. Czech doctors say they are in the third phase of testing, with results so far suggesting they are dealing with "miraculous" vaccines. Most types of cervical cancer are caused by the human papilloma virus, HPV, which is believed to be transmitted through sexual intercourse. Early clinical tests suggest the vaccine is 100 percent effective at bringing the body's immune system to fight the virus. Dr. Eva Hamsikova:

"It's a big thing, it's a breakthrough, because cervical cancer is a very dangerous disease and it's the second or third most common malignant disease among women in the world. So, if we were able to fight this disease, it would be great. Moreover, it's not just cervical cancer that is caused by the papilloma virus infection. There are also anogenital lesions and anogenital cancers among women and men and also part of head and neck cancer that are also associated with the HPV infection. So, I think the vaccine is really very good."

Czech doctors hope to complete clinical trials in about a year. Two pharmaceutical companies are already planning to produce the vaccines and a special health ministry committee is assessing their potential use.

"It takes a long time from infection to the development of cervical cancer. It takes dozens of years. So, we believe that it should be used for girls at the age of 12 or 13 years and they should get three doses of the vaccine before they start being sexually active."

It is estimated that it would cost the state 400 million crowns (around 16.5 million US dollars) to vaccinate some 40,000 teenagers - a sum much lower than that used to treat cervical cancer in the Czech Republic every year.