To the editor: Back in 2009, I faced a daunting cancer journey, strikingly similar to what Paul Thornton’s wife experienced. (“This cancer vaccine should spare future generations from ordeals like my wife’s,” Opinion, Dec. 28)
It all started with a small lump below my jawline, which turned out to be the largest of several metastases originating from the base of my tongue. The culprit was human papillomavirus, or HPV. The treatment was grueling, essentially stealing away a year of my life—no solid food, just a barrage of pain, nausea, and constant choking—a decidedly miserable experience. Even now, I live with lasting effects on my nerves, tongue, and salivary glands.
Despite what some politicians might think, preventing all of this is straightforward: the Gardasil and Cervarix vaccines. Given before any sexual exposure, these vaccines can fend off not just the diseases that Thornton’s wife and I battled, but also cervical, vaginal, penile, and anal cancers.
I count myself lucky to have been under the care of some of Los Angeles’ top physicians, equipped with the latest technology of that era. It was an enormous cost for merely living a normal adult life, but here I am.
I earnestly urge parents to vaccinate their children against this dreadful disease, as it’s something you definitely want to avoid.
David Reskin, Los Angeles
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To the editor: I was relieved to read Thornton’s article about his wife’s ordeal and the HPV vaccine that can prevent such cancers. Like him, I am concerned about a vaccine skeptic potentially leading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
As a nurse practitioner, I frequently witness the impact of HPV in my practice. HPV can prompt pre-cancers, leading to uncomfortable testing and treatments for patients. Occasionally, these pre-cancers advance to full-blown cancer.
What many might not realize is that in the U.S., the incidence of HPV-related throat cancers has overtaken that of cervical and other genital cancers. We are privileged to have a safe vaccine that prevents most pre-cancers and cancers linked to HPV, sparing individuals from the accompanying trials and distress.
Every day, I advise my patients and strongly advocate for the HPV vaccine.
Simone Cox, Rolling Hills Estates
