About Cervical Cancer
About HPV
Cervical cancer is caused by certain types of the human papillomavirus, or HPV. For most women, the virus will go away on its own. But for some, it can lead to cervical cancer. Most often, this can take a number of years, but that may vary.
There are more than 100 types of HPV. Most types are relatively harmless, do not cause any noticeable symptoms and will go away on their own. In fact, certain types of HPV are the cause of common warts found on the hands and feet.
About 30 types of HPV can infect the genital areas of women and men. While most genital HPV clears on its own through a person’s natural immune response, it can sometimes remain in the body and eventually lead to changes in the cervix. Certain types of HPV infections can cause genital warts. While these non-cancerous growths are not a sign of cancer, they are very contagious, and affect millions of people worldwide.
Other types of HPV can cause cervical abnormalities or changes in the cells of the cervix that lead to pre-cancers and cancers. The most dangerous types are HPV 16 and 18. If pre-cancerous cell abnormalities caused by these HPV types are not diagnosed early and treated properly, they can lead to invasive cervical cancer. Together, these two types of HPV account for an estimated 70% of cervical cancer cases.
HPV is Prevalent
Women remain at risk for developing HPV infection throughout their lives. However HPV infection is most common among young adults between the ages of 18 and 28. In fact, of the approximately 6 million new cases of genital HPV in the U.S., it is estimated that 74% of them occur in 15- to 24-year-olds. Although this statistic includes not only the cancer-causing HPV types, but also other genital HPV types as well, it’s still important for women to realize that genital HPV is common and easily transmitted.
.About Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is the world’s second-most common cancer affecting women, with about 500,000 women diagnosed every year and more than 280,000 dying from it. Globally, it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women.
In the United States, Pap screening programs have greatly reduced deaths from cervical cancer. Still, it was estimated that more than 11,000 American women would be diagnosed in 2007. Many women do not realize that the infection that might lead to cervical cancer is called the human papillomavirus (HPV).
The good news is that you have the power to reduce your chance of getting cervical cancer. By getting routine Pap screening tests and talking to your doctor about other prevention methods, you can help reduce your risk.
What is Cervical Cancer?
The cervix is the cone-shaped part of the uterus that connects the upper part of the uterus (the womb) and the vagina. Cervical cancer develops when abnormal cells in the lining of the cervix begin to multiply out of control.
Abnormal cervical cells can gather to form a lump called a tumor. Benign (non-cancerous) tumors do not spread and usually are not harmful. Malignant (cancerous) tumors, however, spread from their sources and can grow into life-threatening cancers.
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