Everything you need to know about HPV & Cancer

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). Very common so that most people who are sexually active (who have not gotten the HPV vaccine) will experience HPV infections at several points in their lives.

Learning how often people infected with HPV can feel scary. So, it is important to know that most cases of HPV do not cause symptoms or health problems. However, that does not mean you should not consider it seriously. Some HPV infections do cause warts (rough lumps) on the skin or genitals, and some can even cause cancer.

So how can the HPV spread? How often does that cause cancer? Can it be treated? Can you prevent it? We talked to infectious disease experts Tania Thomas, MD, to get answers to all questions related to your HPV.

Are there various types of HPV?

Yes. There are more than 200 types of HPV. They fell into two main groups:

• Skin HPV Can cause warts on the skin (usually in the hands, feet, arms, and feet). There is no risk of cancer with this.
• Genital HPV Affects a humid body entrance, such as the vagina, anus, mouth and throat. They can cause warts and carry the risk of cancer, low or high.

What types of cancer can be caused by HPV?

If the Genital HPV infection remains in your body for a long time, it can damage some of your cells. Abnormal cells can become cancer.

HPV can cause the following cancer:

• Cervix
• Vulva
• Vagina
• Penis
• Anal
• Mouth/throat

Is HPV transmitted? How does it spread?

Yes, HPV is contagious. As long as the HPV virus is in your body, it can spread to others through skin-to-skin contact.

The HPV virus mostly spread from person to person during sex (vaginal sex, anal sex, and oral sex). It does not spread through body fluids, such as semen, sweat, or blood. Although rare, HPV can spread through kisses and other types of touch.

“Your risk has increased HPV with the number of sexual partners you have,” added Thomas. “It is estimated that around 75% of sexually active adults have been exposed to at least 1 type of HPV at the age of 50.”

What are the symptoms of HPV?

Most time, HPV has no symptoms.

Warts, including genital warts, are the most common symptoms of HPV. They usually appear in a few months after getting a virus, but they can take longer to appear. Sometimes they can cause itching or bleeding.

Unfortunately, people usually do not have symptoms of high -risk HPV infection that can cause cancer. Cancer from HPV can take 10-20 years.

How do I know if I have an HPV?

Most people know that they have HPV through the HPV test. Starting at the age of 21, women must get an annual PAP test to examine abnormal cells that can develop into cervical cancer. Starting at the age of 30, women must do HPV tests carried out every 5 years.

Can people have anal sex, including gay men, filtered for HPV?

“Yes, there are several different ways to filter cancer related to HPV (or pre-cancer) in the anal channel,” said Thomas. The doctor can do it:

• Tests looking for HPV and see what type of tension it is
• Pap anal tests, which, such as pap cervix smear, find cells that can be pre-cancerous
• Digital rectal exam to detect small masses

Some doctors do not know or do not offer this screening, because the US Prevention Service Task Force has not adopted it. But some organizations that serve high -risk populations do it. People with higher risk include:

• Women with other genital cancer related to HPV
• Hiv-negative men who have sex with men
• People who live with HIV
• People with solid organ transplantation

Talk to your primary care provider if you have an rectal screening question. You can also find more information and recommendations from these special groups: International Anal Neoplasia Society (IMANS), HIVMA/IDSA, and American Society of Colon and Dubon Dubon.

Can I prevent HPV?

Yes. There is a very effective HPV vaccine available for men and women. When a vaccine is given before a person is exposed to HPV, it is 97% effective in preventing cell changes that can cause cancer. It is also almost 100% effective in preventing external genital warts.

Why is the HPV vaccine only for children and not older people?

This vaccine focuses on children because it works best when given at a young age, before people are exposed to HPV. However, the HPV vaccine is actually licensed for people to age 45 years In the US

This reason is not promoted as many as adults above 26 is that, at that age, many people have been exposed to HPV. But, “I will encourage anyone who is over 26 and has not received an HPV vaccine to talk with their doctor about whether it can be useful, especially if they tend to have a new sexual partner,” said Thomas.

If I have been vaccinated, do I still need cancer screening?

“Yes,” said Thomas. “Getting a vaccine is important, but it is not a substitute for cancer screening. This is because it is possible for some people to be exposed to HPV before getting a vaccine, and because the vaccine only covers the 9 most common strains that cause cancer.”

Can HPV be cured?

There is no medical treatment that cures HPV infection. However, about 90% of HPV infection is cleaned naturally by the immune system in 1 to 2 years.

Treatment is available to remove warts (including genital warts) and to remove abnormal cells in your cervix or anus to prevent cancer from forming.

Can I keep having sex if I have an HPV?

HPV is very contagious, but you can take steps to reduce the risk of spreading it. First, it is important to tell your potential partner that you have an HPV. They must do their own research to decide whether they feel comfortable with risk.

If you have an HPV, you can reduce the risk of spreading it to others by:

• Encourage your sexual partner to get an HPV vaccine, thereby reducing the risk of their infection
• Using condoms and tooth dams
• Treat genital warts before sexual contact

Thomas noted that the keyword here was “Reduce.” Sometimes, “condoms or tooth dams do not cover the skin infected with HPV,” he said. So it is still possible to transmit viruses in some cases.

In addition, “HPV can remain inactive on the skin, so you can spread it without a clear wart.”

Some people are confused about whether skin HPV warts can become genital HPV warts (and vice versa). Can one type of HPV be another?

There are more than 200 types of HPV. Which causes common warts on your skin or palms or feet (HPV 1-4 and others) different from the type of HPV that causes genital warts (HPV 6, 11, etc.).

In adults, genital warts usually do not affect other areas of the skin.

In children, HPV 1 and 2 sometimes can be seen in the genital area, causing a lot of confusion and attention.

How is the HPV virus similar to the herpes virus?

Both viruses have strains that are transmitted sexually and strains that are not (spread through other contacts). And, both can have an inactive stage before repeating.

Both are quite common in the general population. Most estimates show that more than 50% of the population has been exposed.

Is treatment for the same skin and genital warts?

Warts are difficult to remove. Both types of warts can disappear alone. This can take months or years.

Options for skin warts include:

• Salicylic acid, which you can get on the table
• Cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen), clinical treatment with several options sold freely

Genital wart treatment includes:

• Topical treatment, which can take up to 4 months at home
• Cryotherapy, sometimes done on a weekly clinical visit

This treatment has a low success rate. Genital warts often return.

Thomas suggested that warts can be left untreated if it does not cause itching, blood, pain, or other problems.