Understanding HPV

By Angela Marshall, MD

Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women and more than 11,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the U.S. each year. Yet, cervical cancer is highly preventable for many women because it's the only cancer with a single known primary cause human papillomavirus, or HPV.

HPV is a very common virus 80% of women are estimated to get HPV at some point in their lives. Most HPV infections go away on their own without any symptoms or requiring any treatment. However, infection with certain high-risk types of HPV may persist in some women, causing the cervix to produce abnormal cells that can eventually develop into cervical cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is passed on through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sex. HPV may also be passed on during oral sex and genital-to-genital contact. HPV can be passed on between straight and same-sex partners even when the infected person has no signs or symptoms.

Most infected persons do not realize they are infected, or that they are passing HPV on to a sex partner. A person can still have HPV, even if years have passed since he or she has had sexual contact with an infected person. It is also possible to get more than one type of HPV.

Two decades ago, there was little understanding of the link between HPV and cervical cancer. Today, there is a growing arsenal of HPV-targeted approaches to detecting and preventing cervical cancer.

While pap testing looks for abnormal cervical cells, an HPV screening identifies women with the high-risk, cancer-causing types of HPV infections. HPV testing helps women learn their HPV status, and helps healthcare providers identify, and keep a closer eye on, women who are at greatest risk for cervical disease – enabling monitoring and treatment to be put in place before cervical cancer can ever develop.

Women age 30 and over should strongly consider using a combination of pap and HPV testing. And, for young girls, an HPV vaccination can possibly prevent future infections of the two most common cancer-causing HPV strains.

Women and parents with questions about HPV should speak to their healthcare provider.