Human papillomaviruses: what every woman should know
'11.06.2020'
Source: Burning hut
This is a dangerous disease: most women with cancer die from either cervical cancer or breast cancer, writes Burning hut.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) viruses cause cervical cancer. Fortunately, this disease can be prevented.
And now for the details.
What else is human papillomavirus
Human papillomaviruses infect only people and spread through contact mainly through sexual contact. A condom does not always save, so 80% of sexually active people have either met with HPV, are carriers of them, or will catch viruses in the near future.
There are approximately 150 types of human papillomaviruses, almost all of them live in the cells of the mucous membranes and skin, but some types are more dangerous than others. There are 14 types of HPV that are classified as a high oncogenic risk - they are related to the development of cervical cancer.
In addition to them, HPV from the low oncogenic risk group can be infected. These viruses cause anogenital warts on the vulvar mucosa, genital skin and anus - which, of course, is unpleasant, but still not as dangerous as cancer.
On the subject: Intimate Soap: An Ad-Imposed Product or Need
Most people who become infected with HPV recover on their own within 12 months (according to other sources, within two years). This also applies to those who are unlucky to “pick up” the highly oncogenic type of viruses. However, in about 10% of people, the body can not cope with viruses, and they remain to live in it. Although viruses do not cause any unpleasant sensations, the consequences of such cohabitation can be very unpleasant.
There is strong evidence that prolonged cohabitation with oncogenic HPV increases the risk of cervical cancer.
Almost all cases of this disease, from which 17 women die every day in Russia, are associated with human papilloma viruses.
But there are other types of oncological diseases that can provoke HPV: for example, vulvar and vaginal cancer, anal cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Although women are most affected by HPV, some types of HPV-related cancer are found in men. For example, “special male” penile cancer, which in 70–80% of cases is caused by these viruses.
How to protect yourself from HPV
Any person who has vaginal, anal, or oral sex with a carrier of the infection has a chance of contracting HPV. Male and female condoms reduce risk, but unfortunately, they do not guarantee complete safety.
HPV virus immunity is unstable: this means that a person who has successfully recovered from a certain type of virus can again become infected with the same type of virus. So, it is not necessary to count on the fact that over time natural immunity will “work out”.
There is no medicine that can destroy HPV that has entered the body.
The most reliable way to avoid the “occupation” of highly oncogenic HPV types in the body is vaccination.
What is important to know about HPV vaccines
Two HPV vaccines have been registered in Russia. Gardasil protects against four types of HPV: two highly oncogenic types 16 and 18, which cause 70% of all cancers, and two low oncogenic types 6 and 11, which cause warts. Cervarix protects only from highly oncogenic types 16 and 18.
For full protection against HPV, two to three injections are required. Gardasil vaccine is administered three times: the second dose after 2 months, and the third - 6 months after the first.
The dosage of the Cervarix vaccine depends on the age of the person. Children from 9 to 14 years old are given two doses of the vaccine, a second injection is given after 5-13 months. People over 15 years old are given three doses of the vaccine: the second injection in a month, the third - in 6 months after the first.
After a person receives all injections of the vaccine, he will be protected from the viruses of the type from which he was vaccinated, for life. Other types of viruses can still be infected, but they are not so dangerous.
On the subject: "This is your nerves and excess weight": why women refuse to treat until it becomes completely bad
The optimal age for vaccination is before the onset of sexual activity. WHO believes that it is 9–13 years old, and the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is 11–12 years old (but it is possible after 9 years). Although vaccination is more beneficial for girls, vaccination also makes sense for boys.
It’s also good for adults to get vaccinated. One of the first countries to introduce a national HPV vaccination program, including for adults, was Australia. The results are impressive: since the start of the program, the number of people with cervical cancer has been falling all the time. Australian doctors expect that by 2068 they will make this diagnosis less than once a year!
Health experts from the US believe that vaccination against HPV should be given to all young people under the age of 27 years. But if we are talking about unvaccinated women, the benefit can be up to 45 years - however, in this case, the feasibility of vaccination should be discussed with a doctor.
You can get vaccinated even if you have already become infected with HPV. The vaccine will not kill the viruses of "your" type HPV, already settled in the body, but will protect against the rest.
On the subject: Whether to sleep without underwear: the opinion of the gynecologist
An HPV vaccine is not harmful. These are just harmless pieces of the virus that our immunity uses as a “simulator”. There are no scientific reasons to believe that a vaccine can somehow worsen well-being.
True, in 2018, an article was published in an authoritative medical journal, the authors of which claimed that vaccination against HPV can lead to infertility. However, gross errors were found in the work, so its conclusions were considered unfounded, and the article itself was soon recalled.
There are no known risks to the fetus associated with vaccination against HPV, although just in case pregnant women try not to vaccinate.
The only identified side effect of the vaccine is mild redness and swelling, as after any injection.
What will happen if not vaccinated against HPV
There is a good chance that you will get HPV - but this does not mean that you will definitely get cancer.
According to the oncologist and epidemiologist Anton Barchuk, by the age of 30–35, HPV viruses leave the body in most people. Of the 300 million women whose viruses have been stuck for a long time, cervical cancer is found in less than 0,2%.
This seems to be relatively small - however, it is still about 600 people. Although vaccination can be dispensed with, in principle, HPV remains a “time bomb,” which is best avoided if possible.
What more can be done to reduce the risk of cervical cancer
The authoritative American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) strongly recommends regular screening - screening for cervical cancer. This applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated women.
Women aged 21–29 years should take a Pap test (PAP test) using liquid cytology every 3 years. With its help, you can identify precancerous or cancerous cells. HPV testing at this age is not recommended.
Women aged 30–65 years should take a Pap test and HPV test every 5 years. In principle, it is permissible to continue to take a PAP smear every 3 years.
The material is published for educational purposes and is not a recommendation. ForumDaily Woman is not responsible for any diagnosis made by the reader based on the materials of the site, as well as for the consequences of self-medication, and may not share the point of view of the author or expert.
