What You Need to Know
about HPV and Cervical Cancer

According to the World Health Organization, one-fifth of cancers worldwide are caused by chronic infections. One of these infections, the human papillomavirus (HPV), is the leading cause of cervical cancer. There are many strains of HPV and not all are considered a cancer risk. However, women with certain types, including strains 16 and 18, have a greater chance of developing cervical cancer and often require more tests to keep an eye on the virus’s progression.

How Is HPV Contracted?
"HPV is most commonly transmitted through sexual contact," says Raymond Kaufman, MD, obstetrics and gynecology at The Methodist Hospital. Depending on the type of virus, some people may develop HPV-related warts on the hands, feet or genitals, or they may not have symptoms at all. Often, a healthy immune system can help fight and suppress the infection. Even if there are no physical symptoms, the virus may still be active in the body, causing pre-cancer cells to develop within the cervix. "If you look at specimens of cervical cancer," notes Dr. Kaufman, "almost 100% have evidence of HPV DNA." Fortunately, modern medicine has provided two methods of preventing cervical cancer: the Pap smear and the
HPV vaccine.

Prevention Saves Lives
Pap tests can help locate changes in the cervix early, allowing doctors to provide treatment before the infection leads to cancer or, if cancer has developed, when it's in a curable stage. Since changes may not appear on a single test, sexually active women are encouraged to schedule regular Pap smears. Most cases of late-stage cervical cancer are seen in women who have never had a Pap test or have not been in for a gynecological checkup for several years. Your physician can tell you when to schedule a Pap test.

Paired with regular Pap tests, a new FDA-approved vaccine can help prevent cervical cancer. The vaccination protects women from HPV strains 16 and 18 (the main cause of cervical cancer) and 6 and 11, which produce 90 percent of genital warts. "The vaccine itself is made of viral-like particles that stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against the virus. It is not infectious and the side effects are minor," says Dr. Kaufman. It's recommended that girls ages 11 to 12 receive the vaccine as a preventative measure against cervical cancer. Girls and women ages 13 to 26 may also benefit from the vaccine. However, women should be aware that the vaccine does not protect against all types of cancer-causing HPV or other sexually transmitted diseases.