HPV Vaccination: A vaccine that prevents cancer
Getting vaccinated before potential exposure offers the best protection
Human Papillomaviruses (HPV) are a broad group of over 100 viruses that can infect and affect different parts of the human body. HPV are so named because papilloma means “small wart-like growth on the skin or mucous membrane”; some of these HPV strains lead to genital (and other) warts.
Around 30 HPV types can affect the genitals, and 14 types are considered high risk for cancers, including cancers of the cervix, anus, penis, vagina, vulva and back of the throat (oropharyngeal).
Contrary to some misconceptions, HPV affects both men and women & it is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the USA and in the world. HPV is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, which can be through sexual activities or other close contact. These activities can include genital, anal, and oral sex.
Almost every unvaccinated person who is sexually active will get HPV at some time in their life. About 13 million Americans, including teens, become infected with HPV each year. More than 43% of American adults ages 18-59 are infected with genital HPV, and there are higher infection rates among men (45%) than women (40%).
Due to the diversity of HPV types, they are often referred to as “non-oncogenic” (wart causing) or “oncogenic” (cancer-causing).
An oncovirus or oncogenic virus is a virus that can cause cancer. In the case of HPVs, there are 14 high risk HPVs that can cause numerous cancer types. These include:
HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, and 68.
HPV16 and HPV18 are responsible for most HPV-related cancers.
More than 95% of cervical cancer cases are due to HPV
Oncoviruses lead to cumulative mutations in our cells that ultimately cause dysfunction and dysregulation that allow cancer to progress. As a result, it takes 15-20 years for cervical cancer to develop in people with normal immune systems. For those with weakened immune systems, such as those who are transplant recipients or have untreated HIV infection, cancer can progress within 5-10 years.
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HPVs that can lead to cancer are able to do so because the virus persists after infection, and is not cleared by our immune system. The high-risk HPV stays in your body and it has the ability to turn normal cells into abnormal cells (precancers) and then cancer.
How does it accomplish this?
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