Almost all cervical carcinomas are caused by Human papillomavirus (HPV). Cervical cancer can be a life-threating disease. However, over recent years the occurrence of cervical cancer has declined as well as the chance of dying from it. A huge contributing factor to this decline is the importance of a regular pap smear. A pap smear can find cervical pre-cancer before it turns into cancer. Recently, a vaccine for HPV, has been on the market, which provides close to a 100% protection against pre-cancer and general warts. HPV and cervical cancer are two disease that are closely related. However, each disease effects not only similar populations, but also different populations, as well as having its own signs and symptoms, detection procedures, …show more content…
Usually HPV goes away on its own and does not cause any health problems. But when that does not happen it can cause problems like general warts and cancer. According to the CDC, genital warts usually appear as a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area. They can be small or large, raised or flat, or shaped like a cauliflower. A healthcare provider can usually diagnose warts by looking at the genital area. There is no way to know who will develop cancer from HPV. According to the CDC, cancer often takes years, even decades, to develop after a person gets HPV. The types of HPV that can cause genital warts are not the same as the types of HPV that can cause cancers. People with a weak immune system like those infected with HIV/Aids are more likely to develop health problems from HPV. Cervical cancer early on many not cause any symptoms. As the cancer advance women can experience bleeding or discharge from the vagina that is not normal for them, such as bleeding after sex. These symptoms could also be cause by other thing, but the only way to be sure is to see a doctor. There are no diagnostic test to confirm HPV. However, according to the CDC, there are HPV tests that can be used to screen for cervical cancer. These tests are recommended for screening only in women aged 30 years and older. They are not recommended to screen men, adolescents, or women under the age of 30 years. Some people find out they have …show more content…
According to the CDC, if the test results are normal from both the Pap test and HPV test, the chance of getting cervical cancer in the next few years is very low. The doctor may even recommend to the patient that she may wait as long as five years before her next screening. But she should still go to the doctor regularly for a checkup. For women age 21-65 it is important for them to get regular Pap test as directed by their doctor, even if they feel like they are too old to have a child or not having sex anymore. Women over the age of 65 may not have to get a pap test anymore, if they have had a normal Pap test result for several years, or had their cervix removed as part of a total hysterectomy for non-cancerous
There are approximately 12 high risk HPV infection types. Although HPV is quite common, most infections are suppressed by the individual’s immune system within a few years without causing cancer but they may cause temporary chances in cervical cells. However, an infection with high risk HPV has the potential to form into more severe precancerous lesions, which if not treated, can progress to cancer. As mentioned before, HPV is slow growing; it may take 10 to 20 years or more for a reoccurring HPV type to develop into
If you have had the HPV vaccine, you should still be screened for cervical cancer and follow normal screening recommendations.
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends cervical cancer screening with cytology testing (also known as a Pap Smear) every three years in women ages 21 to 65 (U.S. Preventative Services Task Force [USPSTF], 2016a). The USPSTF has graded this recommendation with an “A” indicating that they have a high level of certainty that the screening will prove to be beneficial, rather than harmful to the patient (USPSTF, 2016a). However, if this patient would prefer to receive cervical cancer screening every five years, the USPSTF also has a high level of certainty that this will prove to beneficial rather than harmful if human papillomavirus (HPV) and cytology are both performed during this screening (USPSTF, 2016a). The
Prophylactic vaccination against high risk human papilloma virus 16 and 18 represents an exciting means of protection against HPV related malignancy. However, this strategy alone, even if there is a level of cross protection against other oncogenic viruses, cannot completely prevent cervical cancer. In some countries cervical screening programs have reduced the incidence of invasive cervical cancer by up to 80 percent although this decline has now reached a plateau with current cancers occurring in patients who have failed to attend for screening or where the sensitivity of the tests have proved inadequate. Cervical screening is inevitably associated with significant anxiety for the many women who require investigation and treatment following abnormal cervical cytology. However, it is vitally important to stress the need for continued cervical screening to complement vaccination in order to optimize prevention in vaccines and prevent cervical cancer in older women where the value of vaccination is currently unclear. It is likely that vaccination will ultimately change the natural history of HPV disease by reducing the influence of the highly oncogenic types HPV 16 and 18. In the long term this is likely to lead to an increase in recommended screening intervals. HPV vaccination may also reduce
HPV stands for genital human papillomavirus. It is a sexually transmitted virus and according to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), “More than half of sexually active men and women (in the United States) are infected with HPV at some time in their lives.” (CDC) The National Cancer Institute says there are more than 200 types of HPVs. (Institute) At least 12 of those HPVs cause certain types of cancer, like vaginal and cervical, and genital warts. If you have an HPV virus it usually goes away on its own, and doesn’t have any symptoms. But if it doesn’t go away experts say it is responsible for many of the 10,000 yearly cases of cervical cancer, causing 4000 deaths each year. (CDC)
Some signs and symptoms of cervical cancer are abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge and pelvic pain and pressure. Cervical cancer is preventable with regular screening tests. One test is a Pap test sometimes also called a Pap smear. This test looks for precancerous cells that
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancerous death, in women, since 1950. Approximately 200,000 cervical cancer patients die each year in developing countries. Strains like HPV 16 and 18 cause about 70% of cervical cancer in women– one of the top causes of death in the world (WebMD, 2010, p.1). In the Unites States, about 10,000 women acquire the disease and 3,700 die annually Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is directly associated as a cause of cervical cancer. This virus affects the skin and genital area and, in some cases, it can also infect the throat and mouth. Since the HPV is passed from one person to another through skin-to-skin or sexual contact, sexually active people are more prone to this virus. Merck
Human papilloma virus will cause almost all cases of cervical cancer, and therefore is the highest risk factor. There are many factors that will determine if HPV will lead to cervical cancer, HPV directly affects and transforms either or both the deepest layer of the mucous epithelial cells and more superficial layers. Targeting the receptors found in the layers of the stratified squamous epithelium. This is where the virus will proliferate into more differentiated cells to spawn offspring virus. The virus replication is what causes the skin characteristics of a wart. With the help of a pap smear, we are able to investigate if cervical epithelial cells are healthy and normal or determine which point in dysplasia they are at in transforming to cancerous cells. The HPV virus does not need a host to survive, and can survive in low and high temperatures.
While there is screening for cervical cancer, there is no routine screening for the other 20,000 cancers caused by HPV infections each year in the United States. Often these cancers such as cancers of the back of the throat (oropharynx) and cancers of the anus/rectum aren 't detected until later stages when they are difficult to treat" ("HPV | Why is HPV Vaccine Important | CDC," n.d.).
However in some cases of HPV genital warts or even cancer can develop years later; most commonly
HPV Virus is responsible for more than 70% of vulvar and vaginal cancers and 90% of cervical and anal cancers.Statistics reveal 33,200 HPV related cancers are reported in the United States each year(CDC,2014). There is no treatment for HPV virus infections as the natural immunity will clear the virus from the body over time. However there are ways to prevent the infection by preventive measures like condoms and vaccines to prevent cervical cancer in high risk individuals. There are two HPV vaccines mainly Gardasil and Cervarix which provide protection against HPV infection. HPV vaccines are recommended for boys and girls in the ages of 11 to 12 years as well as for
Are there any symptoms associated with HPV? Yes and no, most with HPV never develop any symptoms or health problems. Genital warts, pain, itching, and bleeding are some symptoms of HPV. The only visible symptom of this virus is genital warts in which this is how most women figure out they have HPV. Women also find out they have HPV when they have
There are approximately 12 high risk HPV infection types. Although HPV is quite common, most infections are suppressed by the individual’s immune system within a few years without causing cancer but they may cause temporary chances in cervical cells. However, an infection with high risk HPV has the potential to form into more severe precancerous lesions, which if not treated, can progress to cancer. As mentioned before, HPV is slow growing; it may take 10 to 20 years or more for a reoccurring HPV type to
Among the many arguments for mandatory HPV vaccination, the foremost is that it is an important medical achievement and a major public health milestone. This vaccine has proven to be one-hundred percent effective in preventing the 4 HPV strains that are responsible for seventy percent of cervical cancers and ninety percent of genital warts. In addition, no serious side effects have been identified. Because this vaccine is a preventive measure, administration before onset of sexual activity is ideal; however, even females who have been sexually active can still benefit from this vaccination (Perkins et al., 2010). Nationally and internationally, the HPV vaccine will significantly reduce disease burden by reducing monetary and psychological costs of invasive procedures that remove precancerous and cancerous lesions. By combining vaccination with routine Pap smear screening, these public health efforts have the remarkable opportunity to eradicate cervical cancer (Ramet et al., 2011).
Most of the high risk HPV infections are asymptomatic and go away within 1 to 2 years and do not cause cancer . only those infections which