Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is the most common cancer
linked to HPV in women. Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by HPV.
Cervical
cancer can be found early and even prevented with routine screening tests. The Pap
test looks for changes in cervical cells caused by HPV infection. The HPV test
looks for the infection itself.
Cervical cancer is
preventable with vaccines and regular screening tests. More than half of the
women in the United States who get cervical cancer have never had or rarely had
a Pap test.
Vulvar cancer
HPV
can also cause cancer of the vulva, which is the outer part
of the female genital organs. This cancer is much less common than cervical
cancer.
There’s
no standard screening test for this cancer other than routine physical exams.
Vaginal cancer
Most vaginal cancers contain HPV.
Many
vaginal pre-cancers also contain HPV, and these changes may be present for
years before turning into cancer. These pre-cancers can sometimes be found with
the same Pap testthat’s used to test for cervical
cancer and pre-cancer. If a pre-cancer is found, it can be treated, stopping
cancer before it really starts.
Penile cancer
In
men, HPV can cause cancer of the penis. It’s more common in men
with HIV and those who have sex with other men.
There’s
no standard screening test to find early signs of penile cancer. Because almost
all penile cancers start under the foreskin of the penis, they may be noticed
early in the course of the disease.
Anal cancer
HPV
can cause cancer of the anus in both men and women.
It’s more common in people with HIV and in men who have sex with other men.
Screening
tests for anal cancer are not routinely recommended for all people. Still, some
experts recommend anal cytology testing (also called an anal Pap test because it’s much like
the Pap test used for cervical cancer) for people at higher risk of anal
cancer. This includes men who have sex with men, women who have had cervical
cancer or vulvar cancer, anyone who is HIV-positive, and anyone who has had an
organ transplant.
Mouth and throat cancer
HPV
is found in some mouth and throat cancers in men and
women. Most cancers found in the back of the throat, including the base of the
tongue and tonsils, are HPV-related. These are the most common HPV-related
cancers in men.
There’s
no standard screening test to find these cancers early. Still, many can be
found early during routine exams by a dentist, doctor, dental hygienist, or by
self-exam.
1 comments
This info is good to know. While I did know that HPV can lead to cervical cancer, I didn’t know it could lead to other things as well.
ReplyDelete