英国科学家最近进行的一项关于人体对人类乳突病毒（HPV）的免疫反应的最新研究可能会导致一种对抗子宫颈癌的疫苗被研制出来。
  
    据合众社12月4日报道，这项研究是由英国伯明翰大学的科学家完成的。研究成果被发表在新一期的《英国癌症杂志》上。研究显示，那些能够使自身系统摆脱人类乳突病毒的患者和那些不能战胜病毒，从而最终发展为子宫颈癌的患者相比，前者拥有一种不同的免疫反应。

    研究过程中，英国伯明翰大学的科学家把重点集中在人类乳突病毒第16型（HPV 16）上。据称，在多达70％的子宫颈癌患者体内，都出现了人类乳突病毒第16型。

    报道说，子宫颈癌是困扰女性的第二大癌症，全球范围内，每年约有50万的新确诊病例。目前，医学界已经发现个别类型的人类乳突病毒是导致子宫颈癌的主因。在70余种不同类型的人类乳突病毒中，只有个别一部分与患子宫颈癌危险增高有关系。

    New research into the body's immune response to the human papilloma virus (HPV) could lead to a vaccine against cervical cancer, a study said.

    The study by the University of Birmingham, published in the British Journal of Cancer, shows patients able to rid HPV from their system have a different immune response compared to those who cannot combat the virus and go on to develop cervical cancer, the BBC reported.

    Cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer worldwide, with an estimated 500,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

    There are more than 70 different types of HPV, of which only some are linked to an increased risk of cervical cancer. The Birmingham study focused on HPV 16, which is present in up to 70 percent of cervical cancers, the BBC said.