Paul Weibel, Scribe
Our program on October 15, 2020 featured Dr. Stewart Lyman, Oncologist and HPV vaccine advocate.
Dr. Lyman is an independent consultant to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. He has thirty-one years of experience in biotechnology and drug development. His clients have included small biotech start-ups with a one-time project need as well as big multi-national pharmaceutical companies that require ongoing services. He also works with venture capital firms and financial institutions to evaluate new technologies and review scientific data.
At Immunex, Dr. Lyman was Director, Extramural Research. He headed a group that ran one of the largest research collaboration programs in the world. The group oversaw some 2,500 collaborations during that time and sent over 1,000 unique reagents to over 1,000 different research institutions worldwide.
He was diagnosed with HPV-attributed tonsil cancer in 2016.
There are 170 strains of Human papillomavirus (HPV), 6 of which can cause cancer. It is the most common form of sexually transmitted disease. Chances of a woman having HPV by the time she is 45 years-old is between 80% and 90%. The most common form of HPV caused cancer in woman is cervical cancer and for men it is oral cancer.
The HPV vaccine was introduced in 2006. Recommended by age 11. Since then there has been a large decrease in infections. No single exam can detect HPV and there are no antibodies. The immune system can eliminate the virus. Odds are about 1% +/- that HPV will result in cancer. The HPV vaccine will prevent 6 types of cancer. More information can be found at hpvcancerresources.org.