One of the most amazing scientific videnbegær in the last 50 years was that cancer can be an infectious disease--specifically, a caused by human papillomavirus or HPV. There are more than 100 types of HPV, at least 30 as spread by sexual contact. HPV has been associated with certain types of skin cancer, as well as:
HPV is a very common virus. More than 50 percent of sexually active adults are believed to be infected with at least one strain of the virus, and up to 80 percent of sexually active women will have been exposed to the virus when they turn 50.
Most people with HPV will never have any symptoms. Others will have one or more outbreaks of genital Warts, experience pre-cancerous cervical changes or even develop one or more of the HPV-related cancers. Because so many people who are infected will never have problems with virus, doctors are not generally screen for HPV.
Just know you has tested positive for a strain of HPV virus does not mean definitively gives you cancer or genital Warts, it means just what you've been exposed to the virus, and is in danger. In fact, research has shown that the majority of infected persons will clear the infection within 2 years on their own.
Before in the mid-1980s, was that people could upload cancer each other considered ridiculous by most people in the field of medical research. But as the evidence stacked and research techniques began to improve, people slowly became convinced.
It is now widely recognised that HPV causes an estimated 99 percent of cervical cancers. In early 2007 published a prestigious medical journal a paper suggesting that HPV will also be responsible for increases in the mouth and throat cancers. The main causes of these cancers smoking history and use of oral tobacco.
Cervical cancer was once the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the United States although the number of American women dieing from disease decrease makes an increases in regular Pap smears, it is still the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide.
No woman should ever die of cervical cancer. Regular Pap smears can detect HPV-induced changes in the cervix early, when they are still highly processed. But there are women who do not get tested regularly. This is especially a problem among women in low-resource countries and low-income countries, local communities and among women who have passed their child-bearing years. One of the most important motivators for women to go to a gynecologist is the need for birth control pills and many stop looking for regular preventive health care, when they no longer need their prescription. HPV can lie dormant for many years before causing malignant changes in the cervix. It is important that women continue to have regular Pap smears throughout their lifetime.
Scientists are increasingly focused on preventing HPV. HPV is spread by oral sex, vaginal sex and anal sex as well as by skin to skin contact with infected areas. Because viruses spread from skin to skin, not only through the body fluid, it is possible to transmit viruses, even when the condom is used. Condoms do, however, reduce the risk of transmission. High prevalence of the virus, combined with the fact that condoms do not provide complete protection, has prompted scientists to research alternative methods for prevention. One of the roads, they examine is vaccines.
Several vaccines to the most common cancer and genital Wart-causing HPV strains are in development or already on the market. However, because HPV is a sexually transmitted virus, is the discussion about these vaccines have often been a political rather than a scientific debate. Vaccines are most effective, before a person has been exposed to the virus, but many parents and politicians are resistant to the idea of to vaccinate young girls to a sexually transmitted disease for fear that it may encourage them to have unprotected sex.
A far greater concern for most, however, is that women who have received vaccine that can keep seeking regular Pap smears. These vaccines protect only against the most common HPV virus strains, and they protect not woman, who has already been exposed to HPV. Therefore, women are still necessary to follow the recommendations for regular Pap smears--just becomes less likely that they will have a positive test.
Sources:
Neilson, C.M. et al. "Consistent condom use is associated with a lower prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Infection in men "Journal of infectious diseases 2010; 202: 445-451
Factsheet CDC HPV access to 14/6/07
The World Health organisation Cancer Factsheet access to 14/6/07
Wright JD, Herzog TJ. "Human papillomavirus: new trends in the registration and management. Women's health "Curr Rép 2002 Aug; 2 (4): 259-65.
Trust MH. "A brief summary of human papillomaviruses in cervical carcinogenesis studies can generally role." Am J Gynecol Obstet.. 1996 OCT; 175 (4 Pt 2): 1091-8.
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