Q: I've heard there is a vaccine for cancer. When will it be available, and what cancers will it prevent?
A: The kinds of shots that usually get the most attention are basketball shots, tequila shots, and high-dollar paparazzi shots. But it seems that the biggest shot yet could be the small one that prevents the big "C." You heard correctly. The vaccine for human papilloma virus (HPV), the virus associated with cancer of the cervix (in women) and much cancer of the head and neck region in both genders, can prevent 70 percent of such cancers. The vaccine may even be able to be helpful in treating such cancers. The FDA has fast-tracked it, and its manufacturer Merck has been gearing up, so the best estimate is this summer (of 2006) you may be able to get it.
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