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Two Doses of HPV Vaccine May be Just as Effective as Three, Study Shows

The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine is widely viewed as an effective way to protect women from both cervical cancer and genital warts.  But doctors suspect the high cost and inconvenience associated with the vaccine, which consist of three shots given over the course of six months, may be preventing women and young girls from receiving it.

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Choices after genetic mutation finding affect fertility

The baby shower had a nautical theme. The navy-blue tables were outside the home near Grove Isle. Red roses in silver buckets had a small sign with a sailboat that read “It’s a Boy!”

Some of the guests were friends I had spent time with at nightclubs and parties in Miami in years past. Some were pregnant.

“I was nauseous and felt so sick at first,” one said. “My back hurts. I hope it’s a girl,” another said.

A beautiful little girl dressed in white stole most of my attention. For a moment, it was all too much. I was glad I was wearing sunglasses and discreetly excused myself to the bathroom, where I sat on the floor and cried. If I had not have been diagnosed with cancer, I would be where they are.

Instead, my current dilemma was whether or not I should wait to remove my ovaries.

Having a family is important to me. When I got diagnosed with breast cancer at 33, I was at a place in my life where I felt ready to head in that direction. One day I was healthy and beautiful and the next my life had taken an abrupt turn.

My friend, Michael Maryanoff, 26, a cancer patient, sent me a message that I have thought about often. Read full article.

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New Nanoparticle Chemo Is Gentler On Fertility

RestingEggFolliclesUsing nanoparticles as “Trojan horses”, scientists have designed and lab-tested a way to deliver an arsenic-based chemo drug that ferociously attacks cancer, but is gentler on the ovaries. They hope the new method will help to protect the fertility of women undergoing cancer treatment.

The team also developed a rapid way to test existing and new chemo drugs for their effect on ovarian function, so doctors and their female patients can make treatment decisions that minimize damage to ovaries and thus increase the chance of having a future family.

The new nanoparticle chemo drug they designed is the first cancer drug to be tested while in development for its effect on fertility using the new rapid toxicity test.

Advances in cancer therapy means more patients are surviving, but many female patients often face a temporary or permanent loss of fertility after undergoing traditional chemotherapy. Read full article.