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IN FOCUS: ARTICLE |
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HPV, Genital Warts, and Cancer: Is There a Connection?
by Laura Lambert, 07.23.04
Some people mistakenly believe that genital warts lead to cancer. |
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HPV — the human papilloma virus — is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. In the United States alone, an estimated 20 million people have genital HPV, and more than five million people contract it each year. Still, most people don't know the first thing about HPV — including how certain types of it relate to genital warts and other types of it relate to cervical cancer.
HPV
HPV infects skin and mucous membranes throughout the body. Scientists have identified more than 100 strains of HPV. Of these 100 strains, roughly one-third affect only the genital area. The other two-thirds affect other areas of the body, like the hands and feet. Certain strains of HPV cause warts, while other strains cause microscopic changes in skin cells that can't be seen by the naked eye.
Genital HPV
Genital HPV is considered a sexually transmitted infection. The virus is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. Transmission usually occurs during vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Rarely, it can be spread through other kinds of sex play, like body-rubbing.
One reason genital HPV is so common is that it's highly contagious. Two-thirds of people who come into contact with the virus will develop an infection within three months. As with non-genital HPV, some of these infections are visible, in the form of warts, while others are not. It is also possible for someone to have more than one type of HPV infection at the same time.
HPV and Genital Warts
When it comes to genital HPV, only two of the 30+ types actually cause genital warts. Genital warts look like small bumps or cauliflower-like growths. They can appear anywhere on the genitals — the vulva, vagina, cervix, and anus in women; and the shaft and head of the penis, scrotum, and anus in men. Rarely, these warts can be transmitted to the mouth or throat.
Genital warts are harmless and often go away on their own within a few months. If not, doctors can easily treat or remove them.
Some people mistakenly believe that genital warts lead to cancer. The truth is, while genital warts can be annoying, they do not cause cancer. However, a few other kinds of genital HPV infections may.
HPV and Cervical Cancer
Scientists have identified several types of genital HPV that are associated with certain types of genital cancer — in particular, cervical cancer. These are not the same types of genital HPV that cause warts. These HPV infections are microscopic. This means that the women and men who are infected with these strains of HPV often have no idea they have them.
Like genital warts, these microscopic HPV infections often go away on their own in three months to a year. But sometimes, HPV infections of the cervix do not go away on their own. These long-term HPV infections can lead to cervical cancer.
But today, only one in 1,000 women who contract cancer-related HPV will develop full-blown cervical cancer. This is because many women know how to prevent cervical cancer with proper health care — including annual Pap tests and regular use of condoms. |
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