HPV Vaccine/Cervical Cancer Prevention: Emory Crawford Long Hospital Hosts Seminar

Emory University medical experts will host a free seminar to discuss the most common sexually transmitted disease, how it can lead to cervical cancer and the new vaccine for prevention available to girls and young women. The community educational session, held at Emory Crawford Long Hospital Glenn Auditorium on Monday, May 14 at 7 p.m. will include a question and answer opportunity. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC estimates that more than 20 million men and women in the U.S. are currently infected with HPV and there are 6.2 million new infections each year. HPV is most common in women and men who are in their late teens and early 20s. By age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired HPV infection.
In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of Gardisil, the first vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer, precancerous genital lesions and genital warts caused by HPV. The vaccine is highly effective against four strains of the HPV virus, including two that cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers. The vaccine is approved for use in females nine to 26 years of age.

Kevin Ault, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Emory University School of Medicine, was instrumental in researching the vaccine prior to its approval. Before coming to Emory, Dr. Ault served as a clinical trials investigator for the vaccine during his tenure at University of Iowa School of Medicine.

“As far as a cancer vaccine goes, this is the best we have,” says Dr. Ault, who has been working on the HPV vaccine for more than a decade. “In four or five generations, we have gone from cervical cancer being the most common cause of cancer death in the United States for women to being a vaccine-preventable disease. That’s a really remarkable story if you trace this research over the last 50 to 60 years.”

However, Dr. Ault explains that still today, 10 women die each day from cervical cancer in the U.S. Rates in Fulton County alone are about twice the national average.

Dr. Ault, along with three of his colleagues, will speak at the May educational seminar. The details are as follows:

What:
HPV Vaccine Lecture
Speakers and topics include:

Kevin Ault, MD - HPV vaccine development, vaccine specifics
Mary Dolan, MD -- primary care gynecology/obstetrics, event moderator
Cyril Spann, MD -- cervical cancer symptoms and treatments
Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, MD -- adolescent gynecology care
When:
Monday, May 14
7 p.m. -- 8:30 p.m.

Where: Emory Crawford Long Hospital
Glenn Auditorium
550 Peachtree St.
Atlanta
(The Glenn Auditorium is attached to the main hospital parking deck. Once parked in the deck, take the elevator to Level F and follow the signs to the auditorium.)

How:
Please RSVP to Emory HealthConnection to reserve a seat by calling 404-778-7777. Light refreshments will be served.