Over one million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired globally every day. A vast majority of them have no symptoms. Because of the absence of symptoms, STIs such as HPV infections can go undetected.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection. Research suggests that almost 80% of sexually active individuals get an HPV infection at some point in their life as this virus spreads via skin-to-skin contact.
More than 90% of all new HPV infections go away on their own. However, some HPV types are persistent and may cause cervical cancer if left undiagnosed or untreated. Every year 1,32,000 women in India and approximately 5,70,000 women across the globe are affected by HPV-related cancer.
High-risk HPV Types That Cause Cervical Cancer
The cervix is present in the lower part of the uterus or the womb. It connects the uterus to the vagina, which is the birth canal. When the cells of the cervix begin to multiply and grow uncontrollably, it leads to cervical cancer. In India, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women aged between 15 to 44 years.
While HPV is a family of more than 200 viral low-risk and high-risk genotypes, almost 77% of cervical cancer cases in India are caused by high-risk HPV 16 and HPV 18 types. The most common high-risk type, HPV-16, alone causes 50% of cervical cancers globally.
Neither of the 2 high-risk strains shows any symptoms upon infection. They affect the cells of the cervix leading to abnormal growth and can also cause several other types of cancers (vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, penile cancer, anal cancer, and oropharyngeal/throat cancer).
Other high-risk HPV types include 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. These strains are responsible for 15% of cervical cancers and 11% of all HPV-related cancers.
Regular Screening Can Identify HPV Infection
Diagnostic Tests are one of the most effective measures to detect an HPV infection and seek timely treatment to avoid long-term complications like cervical cancer.
HPV test: The sample is checked for DNA of high-risk HPV types that could cause cervical cancer and other types of cancers.
PAP test: This test is performed by your gynecologist and checks for the presence of abnormal precancerous or cancer cells in the sample.
HPV/Pap co-test: A combination of visual inspection of the sample (through pap test) and a DNA test (through RT-PCR technology) to avoid any uncertainty about the presence of HPV infection.
Acetic acid solution test: This test can single out the flat lesions caused by an HPV infection by applying an acetic acid solution. Acetic acid turns the affected areas white, confirming the presence of an infection.
In Conclusion, an HPV infection is almost always asymptomatic and can be identified with certainty only through a screening test. Therefore, WHO has proposed that all women aged 30 and above should go for an HPV DNA test as a primary screening test for HPV infection every 5-10 years. Furthermore, all HIV-positive women aged 25 and above should get an HPV DNA Test every 3-5 years to minimize the chances of cervical cancer.
In case your HPV test comes back positive, consult your doctors and get a cervical cancer screening test done. Changed cervical cells can take up to 3-7 years to develop into high-grade cancer. Early detection via cervical cancer screening can help affected women seek early intervention and get the affected cells eliminated to live a healthy and long life.
(This article is authored by Dr. Murugan Nandagopal, Senior. Scientist & General Manager, LifeCell International Pvt Ltd.)
