By Jillian Bleck, IWU intern, and Becky Powell MS, RN Community Cancer Center
Nearly twenty years ago, experts discovered what they believed to be a link between infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer. These experts have continued to study these viruses in more detail and how they cause cancer. Human papilloma viruses, or more commonly known as HPVs, are a group of more than two hundred related viruses. More than forty of these virus types can be spread through direct skin-to-skin contact, most commonly sex. Other HPVs, such as those responsible for non-genital warts, are not sexually transmitted. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the sexually transmitted viruses can be classified as the following:
- Low risk HPVs, which do not cause cancer, but instead cause skin warts on or around the genitals, mouth, anus, or throat
- High risk HPVs, which cause cancer
Most men and women are not aware they have HPV infection because they do not develop any symptoms or health related side effects. Other times, HPV infection can cause precancerous lesions (areas of abnormal tissue) or cancer. To do so, the virus “hijacks” the cell’s machinery, causing uncontrolled cell growth. This causes changes in the cells to accumulate, which ultimately leads to the development of cancer.
The major cancers linked with HPV infections include cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal (mouth and throat) cancer. In fact, the National Cancer Institute states that high risk HPV-types are responsible for approximately five percent of all cancers worldwide. With respect to cervical cancer, strong evidence supports that nearly all cases are caused by HPV infection. In order to develop this cancer, a lasting HPV infection is necessary. Furthermore, whether a woman infected with HPV develops cancer is contingent upon the type of HPV infection she has. The American Cancer Society supports that more than 70 percent of cervical cancers caused by HPV infection are due to an infection with the HPV-16 or HPV-18 strains. While the rates of cervical cancer have remained relatively stagnant, the rates of oral and throat cancer have been increasing in both men and women. This likely is attributed to changing sexual behaviors, including a rise in oral sex.
Unfortunately, there is no one way to prevent all of the different types of HPV. However, there are ways to decrease chances of infection. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two vaccines: Gardasil® and Cervarix®, which aim to protect young people from the types of HPV most closely linked to cancer. Limiting the number of sexual partners is another way to reduce infection because it decreases the risk of exposure to the virus. In addition, women should monitor their health by having a Pap test, which is able to detect precancerous cells that can be removed before they turn into cancer. Research has found that combining a Pap test, the most accurate test for detecting cervical cancer, along with a test designed to detect HPV in women provides the most accurate results. Currently, there are no FDA-approved tests or screenings for HPV infections in men. However, developing an effective, reliable way to collect samples of male genital skin cells and developing next generation vaccines capable of protecting against multiple strains of the virus are areas of ongoing research.
In short, although it’s true that you can’t catch cancer, some infections, such as HPV, can increase your cancer risk.
The Community Cancer Center offers a variety of supportive and educational groups and programs, free of charge, to help patients and families cope with cancer and its effects. For more information go to their website at www.cancercenter.org or call 309-451-8500.
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