Jennifer Matthews: Blythe Layton is taking part in a study to prevent a common virus, the Human Pappilomavirus, also known as HPV.
Blythe Layton: I learned that it's amazingly prevalent in women in my age group, and I had no idea about that, and that it's really easy to get, and it's easy to have without knowing that you have it, and that it can be a precursor for cervical cancer.
Jennifer Matthews: In most women, the virus goes away and as this picture shows, the cervix stays healthy. But in some women, HPV causes changes that could lead to cervical cancer. If those changes are picked up by a pap smear, doctors can remove the cells before they cause harm.
Dr. Christopher Thoming: In the developing world, where public health infrastructure is not around, a high percentage of individuals who get cervical cancer die because they get findings too late.
Jennifer Matthews: That could soon change with two vaccines developed to prevent the virus altogether. In earlier trials, both vaccines were 90 to 100 percent effective at preventing HPV.
Dr. Christopher Thoming: These vaccines could effectively eliminate the great majority of cervical cancers in our lifetime, and that's a big statement.
Jennifer Matthews: Blythe has already had the vaccine. Today, she's having blood drawn to see if she's developed antibodies to HPV.
Blythe Layton: It has definitely made me more conscious of getting regularly tested and just being really careful.
Jennifer Matthews: Doctors say the vaccines could be available within two years.
This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.
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