Human
Papillomavirus (HPV)
How common
is HPV?
In the United States, HPV is considered to be the most common sexually
transmitted disease (STD). Some studies estimate that the majority of
the sexually active population is exposed to at least one or more types
of HPV - although most do not develop symptoms. Because HPV is so common
and prevalent, a person does not need have to have a lot of sexual partners
to come into contact with this virus.
What about HPV and cervical cancer?
- There are many different types of genital HPV.
- Only certain types of HPV are linked with cervical cancer. These are usually called "high-risk" types.
- The types of HPV that cause raised external genital warts are not linked with cancer. These are called "low-risk" types.
- These wart-types of HPV usually are not usually found on a female's cervix, and therefore, are not going to carry any risk of cancer.
- It is common for a person to be exposed and have more than one type of HPV, including several "high-risk" types. Yet, most women do not develop cervical cancer.
- Cervical cancer usually takes years to develop.
- The majority of cases of cervical cancer are in women who have either never had a pap smear, or have not had one in five years or more.
- Cervical cancer can be prevented if a female gets a pap smear at regular intervals. This way, if abnormal cell changes are found, it can be monitored and / or treated before progressing to cervical cancer.
- Most of the time, men will not have any symptoms or health risks such as cancer with the "high-risk" types of HPV. It is the female's cervix that needs to be monitored.