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HPV, the human papilloma virus, is extremely common, with Cancer Research UK suggesting that around 80% of people will experience it during their lifetime, usually without any symptoms.
But in the run-up to Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (January 21-28) – which is during January’s Cervical Cancer Awareness Month – it’s important to point out that the vast majority (99.8%) of cervical cancer cases in the UK are caused by HPV.
“The vast majority of adults will have been exposed to HPV at some point in their life,” explains Mr Narendra Pisal, a consultant gynaecologist at London Gynaecology.
“There are many different strains of HPV, and they pass easily from person to person through close skin-to-skin contact. This makes it incredibly easy to pick up and as a result nearly everyone who is sexually active will meet the virus.”
But Jenny Halpern Prince, co-founder and chair of the Lady Garden Foundation, which aims to educate women and girls about the symptoms of the five gynaecological cancers, including cervical cancer, says: “Some types of HPV can cause abnormal changes to the cells of the cervix, which can eventually lead to cervical cancer.
“Two strains of the HPV virus are known to be responsible for 70% of all cases of cervical cancer, but these types of HPV infections don’t have any symptoms, so many women won’t realise they have the infection.”
But as the infection can cause cancer, should it be a priority to tell your partner if you’ve got it?
“Whether you tell your partner is entirely your decision,” says Pisal. “Most men and women with HPV carry the infection without ever being aware of it. Honesty is often the best policy, and sharing this information will raise awareness regarding HPV.”
And Halpern Prince agrees: “Whether you tell your partner you’ve received an HPV positive result after your cervical screening or not is an entirely personal decision.
“Telling a partner you have HPV will ensure a better understanding of what it is and how it can be transmitted, which results in helping to eradicate the misinformation and myths that surround both HPV and cervical cancer.”
Here’s what you should know about HPV…
How is HPV transmitted?
HPV can be sexually transmitted, but can also be acquired by genital skin-to-skin contact, explains Pisal, who points out that barrier contraception is protective to some extent, but not 100% effective.
“HPV infection can persist in the body for many years and it may not be possible to pinpoint exactly who you got the infection from,” he says. “In fact, it’s so common that it’s just a marker of having had sexual activity in the past. In other words, it’s not possible to avoid HPV unless you avoid all sexual contact, nor is it necessary to, as long as you have regular smears.”
What’s the link with cervical cancer?
Pisal says there are over 100 different types of HPV virus and only 19 of them are high-risk types associated with cervical cancer. The virus has also been linked to other cancers such as throat cancer and anal cancer, and the low-risk types may cause genital warts.
“HPV can cause gynecological cancers such as cervical cancer, but only in a very, very small proportion of cases,” stresses Pisal. “That’s why even though HPV infection is very common, cervical cancer is very rare. In most cases of HPV infection, the immune system will get rid of the infection for you.”
It takes between 10-15 years from acquiring HPV to getting cervical cancer, says Pisal. “This means if women undergo routine and regular smears every three years, HPV infection and precancerous lesions can be easily detected and treated, thus effectively preventing cancer. The risk of getting cervical cancer is extremely low if you have regular smear tests as suggested by your GP.”
He says the HPV vaccine, which is given to girls and boys aged 12-13, provides a high degree of protection against cervical cancer. “However, it doesn’t provide full protection, therefore, it’s very important that you still attend regular screening even if you’ve been vaccinated.”
Is there any treatment for HPV?
Pisal explains it’s not necessary to treat HPV infection unless it causes a smear abnormality. “Your immunity will usually – in 95% of cases – get rid of the infection,” he says.
However, he points out that smoking is associated with lower chance of getting rid of HPV. “There’s evidence that giving up smoking improves your immunity and it’s more likely that you’ll clear the HPV infection,” he adds.
The Lady Garden Foundation is running the Don’t Beat Around the Bush campaign during Cervical Cancer Prevention Week so that every woman is aware of the common symptoms of cervical cancer and knows when to act.
