Strong Link Between HPV and Cervical Cancer
About 99.7 percent of cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), which is spread through sexual contact.
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While most cases of HPV resolve within a couple of years without causing any health problems, sometimes the virus lingers.
Lingering infection with high-risk HPV can set in motion a series of changes that, over time, turn healthy cervical cells into abnormal cells. Left unchecked, these abnormal cells can become precancerous and eventually cancerous unless they’re surgically removed.
Indeed, the lack of screenings can create missed opportunities for critical follow-up care. “It is also likely that fewer women are receiving necessary follow-up care, including treatment for precancer,” Dr. Deshmukh says.
HPV Prevention
While there’s no cure for the HPV virus itself, effective vaccines are available. Research shows that HPV vaccination dramatically reduces the incidence of cervical cancer, particularly when women are vaccinated at a younger age.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends girls and boys receive the HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12 years, although it can be started at age 9. (The vaccine is recommended for boys because it can prevent infection with HPV types that cause cancers of the mouth, throat, penis, and anus, as well as genital warts.)
Teens and young adults through age 26 who are not already vaccinated should get the HPV vaccine as soon as possible.
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The HPV vaccine isn’t typically recommended for adults older than 26, mostly because they have probably already been exposed to HPV. The vaccine — which works best before any exposure to HPV — prevents new HPV infections but doesn’t treat existing infections or disease.
