Human papillomavirus is the most common cause of cervical cancer in women.However, HPV cannot be cured.Vaccination remains the only effective way to protect against infection.
What is HPV?
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is known to cause flat and pointed warts on the skin and mucous membranes.In medicine, such tumors are called papillomas and condylomas, respectively.But the most dangerous thing about HPV is that it is a common cause of cervical cancer.
Causes of HPV infection
HPV infection occurs through damaged mucous membranes and small cracks in the skin.There is a common misconception that the disease is transmitted only through sexual contact, but it can also be transmitted through close contact with an infected person.HPV is distinguished by its high resistance to the effects of antiseptics, not to mention soap, so it can be infected even by shaking hands!
Important! There are several ways HPV is transmitted.You can get this virus not only through unsafe sex but also at home.
Modes of transmission of HPV:
- Sex.This includes all types of sex - vaginal, oral, anal.
- Contact.The virus can be contracted through abrasions, scratches, cuts and small cracks in the skin - through handshakes, kisses and other forms of close contact with an infected person.
- During childbirth from mother to child.
It is believed that infection is often preceded by a weakened immune system due to chronic diseases, frequent stress, hypothermia, lack of sleep, alcohol consumption, smoking and general fatigue.All this increases the risk of infection and the infection becoming chronic.
Important! Using condoms does not guarantee protection against HPV.The virus can be transmitted even by minor contact with skin or mucous membranes.
HPV is very common, with about 14 million people infected with it each year.During their lifetime, almost every sexually active unvaccinated person gets the disease, but very few people know about it.Even if you've had HPV tests and they're all negative, there's still a chance you could be infected and shed the virus between tests.
Is it possible to get infected with HPV again?
Unfortunately, yes.After exposure to the virus, long-term immunity does not develop and infection is most likely from a new sexual partner.Additionally, if you have been infected with one virus, you will not develop immunity against other viruses.
Types of viruses
There are many types of HPV, more than 200 types.They are often divided according to their ability to cause cancer.All viruses are divided into three groups:
- HPV causes cancer conditionally (safest),
- HPV has an average risk of causing cancer,
- HPV has a high risk of causing cancer (most dangerous).
High-risk HPV includes only 15 types of HPV (types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73 and 82), while types 16 and 18 cause cancer most often: about 70% of all cervical cancer cases - they haveeffect.The remainder are linked to cancer less frequently.
Important! If you are infected with one of the "dangerous" viruses, this does not mean that you will definitely get cancer.Normally, our immune system defeats HPV in an average of 1-2 years.Even if HPV remains in the body, precancerous or cancerous lesions may never develop.
It is important to understand that different types of HPV affect different parts of the body.Not all of them are related to gynecology.For example, "skin" viruses (types 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10) cause common warts or flat warts.Additionally, not all viruses that affect the skin and mucous membranes of the genitals (penis, scrotum, perineum or anus, vagina, vulva, or cervical mucosa) can cause cancer.Therefore, HPV types 6 and 11 are the cause of genital warts in 90% of cases, but they do not cause cervical cancer.
Stages of disease development
In most cases, HPV does not cause any symptoms or problems and the immune system clears it after a few months.However, in 10-20% of women, HPV infection becomes chronic - the virus continues to live in the body and does not go away for a long time.In this case, HPV can sooner or later cause cellular changes: dysplasia (pre-cancerous condition) and then cervical cancer.
Important! If HPV is detected, don't panic!It may disappear during the next check.Having a virus does not mean you are sick.If HPV still exists in the body, have regular check-ups, at least once a year.A virus can only pose a threat if it is left uncontrolled.Dysplasia must be treated promptly so that cancer does not develop.
The development of this disease is rare (infection leads to cell changes in less than 1% of infected people), but it is truly dangerous.
The time of development of the disease in this case is individual.In some patients, the early stages can last many years without leading to cancer.The likelihood of developing cancer increases with age.On average, it takes 10–20 years from infection to the appearance of dysplasia (a precancerous condition) and cervical cancer.
Symptom
In the early stages, as a rule, a person does not know about his disease, but is capable of infecting others.HPV usually causes no symptoms at all, but some types can cause the growth of flat or pointed warts - papillomas or pus - on the skin and mucous membranes.Their appearance can occur weeks or even months after infection.
The number and nature of tumors caused by HPV vary.In some patients, everything is limited to the appearance of 1-2 small warts, while in others, the affected area and the number of individual elements are quite large.Condylomas may be single or multiple and vary in shape from dome-shaped or filamentous to mushroom-shaped and plaque-shaped with smooth or bumpy surfaces.Some genital warts grow widely, making them look like cauliflower.The color of warts is usually white or flesh-colored, rarely pink, red or brown.
Genital warts are benign and not dangerous, but in many people they form complex forms, causing increased anxiety and reducing the quality of sex life.
In women, warts can form on the lining of the cervix.The growth of warts in the anus and urethra (or urethra) can cause difficulty going to the bathroom.Sometimes warts can be painful or itchy, and when injured, they can bleed.
Diagnose
Effective treatment and prevention of cancer development largely depends on timely detection of viruses with a high risk of causing cancer.It is believed that all women over the age of 25 should be routinely diagnosed with HPV infection.
Which doctor should I contact?
If you are a woman and do not have any symptoms or complaints, you still need to see your gynecologist once a year.Your doctor may order an HPV test as part of your general health check-up.
You should also consult a doctor if you see suspicious tumors on your body.Choosing a specialist will depend on the location of the new wart or mole.If you are concerned about your genital and anal areas, you should make an appointment with a vein specialist, urologist or gynecologist.If not, a dermatologist will help you.
What tests should I take?
As part of women's health screening, a Pap test is often performed, and an analysis for the presence/absence of high-risk HPV viruses (cotesting) is performed.
The PAP test (Papanicolaou smear) is familiar to most women.It is taken from the cervical canal, as well as its external surface and from the vaginal vault.This cytology study allows you to see the smallest changes in cells.To make it more informative, they use HPV testing.
Important! When given a choice between “conventional” and “liquid-based” cytology, “liquid-based” should be chosen.This method allows you to purify samples and store larger numbers of cells for research.
The HPV test is a vaginal smear test.People take DNA from "dangerous" viruses (types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73 and 82).The number of viruses is not taken into account;Analysis can be positive or negative.
If both tests are negative (no changes in cells, no HPV detected), the next scheduled exam can be done in 3 years.If the PAP test is negative but HPV is detected, the patient is at risk for the disease.She was prescribed a colposcopy (examination of the inside of the vagina and cervix), if necessary, a biopsy (sampling of a small piece of biological material for further examination) and scheduled exams to be performed at least annually.
Treatment begins only if cervical dysplasia is diagnosed based on the results of the PAP test and biopsy.
Do I need to look for HPV if I have genital warts?
If you find out you have condyloma, you don't need to be examined.The appearance of warts themselves indicates that you have been infected with a virus.Analysis from the cervix or vagina will not be necessary, but if necessary, you can perform analysis from the condyles themselves.
HPV and pregnancy
Experts recommend that women planning pregnancy undergo a comprehensive examination to detect HPV infection.During pregnancy, women infected with HPV may develop genital warts or abnormal cell changes in the cervix.They can be detected through routine screening.
The vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women.Research shows it causes no problems in babies born to women who were vaccinated during pregnancy, but more research is needed.The expectant mother should not receive any dose of HPV vaccine until after pregnancy.
The risk of passing HPV to your baby during childbirth is very low.Even when infants are infected with human papillomavirus, their bodies usually clear the virus on their own.
Treatment
There is no effective treatment for HPV;Only the symptoms of the disease can be treated.Women diagnosed with human papillomavirus should only monitor for infection.In this case, you should have a PAP test (smear) once a year.It will help prevent the development of cervical cancer.
Condylomas: remove or not?
Tumors caused by HPV are usually simply monitored (in about half of cases they disappear on their own), treatment is applied only if there are unpleasant symptoms - itching, bleeding, burning or pain.Usually, for each patient, the doctor will choose an individual therapy for warts, taking into account the patient's health characteristics and the patient's health characteristics.Such therapy may include:
- the use of topical anticancer drugs, cautery or catechins - creams or solutions that are applied vertically to the warts (some of them are contraindicated during pregnancy),
- interferon injection into the wart (not to be used during pregnancy),
- Surgical treatment - excision, freezing or electrocautery (under local anesthesia).
Surgery is usually recommended if the warts have grown significantly, are causing discomfort, are in the vagina, urethra, or around the anus, and have not responded to other treatments.Condylomas should be removed if the doctor has reason to believe that they may cause cancer (for example, they are associated with a precancerous skin condition).
Removing warts to protect your partner from the virus is useless because the virus can persist in the body.Removing warts also does not reduce the risk of developing cancer in the future.After warts are removed, there is always the possibility that they will reappear.
On-site preparations
Among the local drugs that can be prescribed for the treatment of genital warts:
- Burning agents and keratolytic agents (salicylic, acetic, lactic acid),
- Anticancer drugs are cytotoxic and cytostatic,
- Topical retinoids
- Catechins.
How NOT to treat HPV: immunomodulators and antivirals
A positive test for HPV often becomes a reason to take various medications, despite the fact that this infection has no cure.The following will not help you fight HPV:
- immunomodulators and any means “to enhance immunity”,
- antiviral drugs.
HPV cannot be cured, you can only protect against it by vaccination.
Forecast
Once HPV is detected, the prognosis is generally favorable.Diagnosis of highly oncogenic HPV types is not performed in women under 25 years of age, because the virus is detected very often at a young age and usually disappears over time.At an older age, a positive test for HPV is a reason to regularly visit a gynecologist and undergo additional examinations.Don't forget that a viral infection is not a disease.
complications
Complications from human papillomavirus can be dangerous but can be avoided if the body regularly checks for tumors.
warts
A small number of warts may not cause discomfort to a person, but their development in some cases significantly affects the quality of life: sexual activity, psychological state.Additionally, warts can:
- bleed
- painful, causing burning and itching sensations,
- interfere with toileting,
- interfere with the birth process.
Cervical cancer
The most common complication of HPV infection is cervical cancer.The risk of developing it depends on the type of virus.We already know that doctors identify the 15 most “dangerous” types of HPV, and that routine examination of women's health includes analysis of their presence in the body.
In addition, HPV can cause other types of cancer that are less common than cervical cancer.HPV types 16 and 18 are the leading causes of anal cancer.In contrast, cancer of the vulva, vagina, or penis is not always related to HPV (like nasopharyngeal cancer).
HPV is often associated with problems that it does not cause:
- HPV does not cause infertility
- HPV is not the cause of cervical and vaginal infections.
- HPV does not disrupt the menstrual cycle
- HPV cannot cause miscarriage or miscarriage,
- HPV, which often causes cancer, is not transmitted during pregnancy and childbirth;Natural childbirth is allowed if the HPV virus is present.
Disease prevention
Since HPV has no cure, the importance of preventing infection cannot be underestimated.
How not to get infected
First of all, it is necessary to increase the level of defense of the body.If you have bad habits, it is better to give them up or at least significantly reduce the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes.Girls should also avoid using birth control pills as this can also expose them to the disease.
Strengthening the immune system is facilitated by physical activity, properly balanced nutrition and the use of vitamin complexes.Add variety to your diet by adding more vegetables and fruits.Not only are they rich in vitamins, but they also improve bowel movements, helping to cleanse the body of internal toxins that weaken the immune system.
An important point in HPV prevention is to be selective in choosing sexual partners.A healthy monogamous relationship eliminates sexually transmitted infections.It is the responsibility of parents to educate their children about sex.The risk of getting the disease will be reduced by using condoms and refusing to have sex with people who carry HPV.
vaccination
The most effective protection against HPV is vaccination.Today, in most developed countries around the world, HPV vaccination is an indispensable part of the vaccination schedule.First of all, it is suitable for girls under 18 years old who have not yet begun sexual activity.Because HPV infection often occurs during first sexual intercourse, the ideal age to vaccinate girls is 12–14 years old.It is reasonable for adult women to get vaccinated if they intend to change sexual partners.Vaccination will help prevent infection with new viruses.
Boys also need to be vaccinated.It not only helps reduce the spread of infection but also protects against genital warts.
The HPV vaccine protects against certain types of viruses:
- Bivalent vaccine - against the most dangerous viruses types 16 and 18,
- quadrivalent vaccine - against viruses types 6, 11, 16 and 18,
- Nine-valent vaccine - against viruses 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58.
Vaccination schedule depends on age.For children and adolescents under 15 years of age, this is two doses of the vaccine 6-12 months apart, for adults - three doses (schedule 0, 1-2, 6 months).There is no need for additional vaccinations;Effects after vaccination last at least 10 years.
Important! The HPV vaccine is highly safe and does not contain live virus.Unwanted effects after vaccination include: redness at the injection site, headache, dizziness, nausea.The HPV vaccine does not affect the ability to have children and does not cause infertility.
Conclude
Infections caused by human papillomavirus often do not manifest in any way and can remain undetected for the rest of your life.Many patients only learn about the infection if characteristic warts appear on the skin or mucous membranes.The main danger of HPV is the risk of developing cancer, a disease that women are more susceptible to than men.All women over the age of 25 should have regular screening for the presence of the virus in their bodies, along with Pap tests.