HPV and Cancer
Cervical cancer is the most common cancer linked to HPV in women. Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by HPV.
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Cervical cancer can be found early and even prevented with routine screening tests. The Pap test looks for changes in cervical cells caused by HPV infection. The HPV test looks for the infection itself. HPV can also cause cancer of the vulva , which is the outer part of the female genital organs. This cancer is much less common than cervical cancer. Many vaginal pre-cancers also contain HPV, and these changes may be present for years before turning into cancer. If a pre-cancer is found, it can be treated, stopping cancer before it really starts.
In men, HPV can cause cancer of the penis. Because almost all penile cancers start under the foreskin of the penis, they may be noticed early in the course of the disease. HPV can cause cancer of the anus in both men and women. Screening tests for anal cancer are not routinely recommended for all people. This includes men who have sex with men, women who have had cervical cancer or vulvar cancer, anyone who is HIV-positive, and anyone who has had an organ transplant. HPV is found in some mouth and throat cancers in men and women.
Most cancers found in the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils, are HPV-related. These are the most common HPV-related cancers in men. Still, many can be found early during routine exams by a dentist, doctor, dental hygienist, or by self-exam. But there are things you can do to lower your chances of being infected.
What is HPV?
There are also vaccines that can be used to protect young people from the HPV types most closely linked to cancer and genital warts. HPV is passed from one person to another during contact with an infected part of the body. HPV can be present for years without causing any symptoms. Someone can have the virus and pass it on without knowing it. Condoms must be used correctly every time sex occurs. Still, condoms do provide some protection against HPV, and they also help protect against some other sexually transmitted infections.
HPV and cancer
If you are sexually active, limiting the number of sex partners and avoiding sex with people who have had many other sex partners can help lower your risk of exposure to genital HPV. HPV spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, usually during sexual activity including oral sex. Having a high number of sexual partners does increase your chances of infection. HPV infection usually causes no problems at all. But in some people the infection will stay around for a long time and become persistent. Around 13 types of HPV can cause cancer.
Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are a group of more than related viruses that can cause several cancers including cervical cancer, anal cancer, and. Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) increases the risk of some cancers. Most people will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives.
The main type of cancer linked to HPV infection is cervical cancer. Virtually all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV. About 3, cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year. HPV can also cause cancers in other genital areas, like the vagina, vulva, penis, and anus,. It can also cause some types of cancer of the mouth and throat. The majority of vaginal, vulval, penile and anal cancers are caused by HPV. But they are less common than cervical cancer.
Men who have sex with men may be at increased risk of anal cancer. HPV infection also increases the risk of some types of mouth and throat cancers.
Rates of mouth cancer, especially tongue and tonsil cancers, are on the increase, particularly in people in their 40s, 50s and 60s. HPV can cause cells to divide more than usual. The types of HPV that cause warts are not the same types that cause cancer. This can lead to cancer.
HPV infections are mostly spread through direct skin-to-skin contact, usually during sexual activity. No matter the sex of your partner, using a barrier protection method like a condom reduces the risk of passing on HPV infections. For cervical cancer, attending screening is a very effective way of reducing the risk of developing the disease.
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The HPV vaccine also helps protect against cancer. The vaccine is offered to girls aged The Government has announced it will be introducing vaccination for boys of the same age. Men who have sex with men can request the vaccine through sexual health clinics. So by protecting against HPV infection, we can help prevent those changes and reduce the risk of cervical cancer.
Together, these two types cause about 7 out of 10 cervical cancers. The HPV vaccine has been proven to be safe and effective. As HPV is linked to cancers in men as well as women, offering HPV vaccination to men would help reduce the risk of disease. From April , the vaccine is being rolled out men who have sex with men in all sexual health and HIV clinics across the UK. In July , the Government announced it was introducing HPV vaccination for boys, in addition to the programme already in place for girls.