This summer, 300 UA women will have a unique opportunity to take part in a study that could save millions of lives, and maybe their own.

Cancer prevention researchers at the Arizona Cancer Center are recruiting women, ages 18-23, to help determine the effectiveness of a new vaccine designed to prevent Human Papillomavirus infection. The study has already begun and covers a four-year period.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. Nearly one third of university-aged females are infected with the virus now, according to Dr. Anna Giuliano, a UA associate professor heading the study at the College of Public Health

"It's very, very common," Giuliano said.

Over 30 strains of sexually transmitted HPV exist. In males, symptoms are relatively benign, resulting commonly in treatable conditions like genital warts. In females however, the HPV virus is responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancer cases.

If the study is successful, Giuliano hopes the vaccine

administered by the Cancer Center could eventually prevent more deaths.

"As part of this study, young UA females have the opportunity to fight a disease plaguing women around the globe," Giuliano said.

Eighty percent of the world's cervical cancer cases are in poor nations in Africa, Asia and South America, where clean facilities and inexpensive treatments for HPV are unavailable. Every year in these countries, more than 250,000 women die from cervical cancer, Giuliano said.

The HPV vaccine is the first against any form of cancer. World health experts have said the impact of an HPV vaccine would be similar to the medical breakthroughs for polio and smallpox.

Like inoculations for smallpox and polio, the HPV vaccine is

composed of non-infectious, self-assembling HPV capsid proteins and therefore poses no risk of infection.

"The immune response to the vaccine is consistent among the thousands tested. It is totally safe. There are no side effects," Guiliano said.

The price tag for HPV treatment isn't cheap, however.

"Billions of dollars are spent every year on the treatment and followup of abnormal gynecological results," said Rob Raine senior program coordinator at the Arizona Cancer Center.

In its final stages of development, the HPV vaccine would save a considerable amount of money, and lives.

In November, studies released by the New England Journal of Medicine, deemed the vaccine not only safe, but also 100 percent effective in the prevention of the HPV infection.

"These success rates are amazing," said Heather Hiscox, health educator at Campus Heath Services.

"Students should be encouraged by these results," Raine said.

The vaccine trial runs for four years. Participants receive three inoculations: an initial inoculation at the beginning of treatment, another after two months and another after six months. Over this time period, participants receive free gynecological heath care and undisclosed amount of compensation.

"A lot of women are initially scared or intimidated by studies like this, but they shouldn't be," said Nadia Abrahamsson, a pre-medicine student taking part in the program. "The staff are really friendly people, excited to be taking part in a good cause."

Hiscox reminds students that there is still no replacement for a healthy lifestyle and regular visits to the gynecologist.

For more information, call 520-514-6015.