cervical cancer

[KnottedYet]

If there were a simple vaccine that would protect men from a sexually transmitted cancer, you can bet your boots it would be an inalienable right to get that vaccine!

I met a woman who I later learned had died of cervical cancer. She was only 26.

[btchance]

Wahine - actually HPV causes cervical cancer (and vulvar, vaginal, and anal cancers) and warts (genital and otherwise); another virus, the herpes simplex virus (HSV), causes genital herpes; either way, they are transmitted in the same manner.

Hellosunshine - I'm sorry you had to go through all that. But at least you are getting it taken care of early. As for the promiscious thing - it makes people more likely to contract HPV, but like all STDs - one partner who happens to have it can be the cause. The difference between HPV and the others is that it is extremely, extremely prevalent - somewhere around 80% of all college age women who are sexually active will contract HPV at some time - they just may never know it. I hate the way the media makes all women who contract some type of infection appear to be sleeping aroung - it just isn't the case.

Knottedyet - this vaccine should actually be studied in men. HPV can cause cancer in men just in the same way it causes cancer in women, just not as frequently. And I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. Hopefully those deaths will be less frequent in the future.

Okay, I'll be quiet now. But if you have any questions you would like me to attempt to answer, I can try. (I've done some research in this field)

[KnottedYet]

A question for BTChance: Should all of us chickies get tested for HPV?

[btchance]

A question for BTChance: Should all of us chickies get tested for HPV?

Grog did a good job of answering alot of the questions that came up, so thanks! I'll just reiterate a few things (and hopefully not confuse everybody).

The annual exam with a Pap smear determines whether or not you need to be tested for HPV or go directly to treatment for abnormal cells, and then does the test if needed, with the results of the Pap and HPV together guiding any treatment needed.

Basically - you can't treat the actual virus, you can only treat the problems the virus causes, like cancer and atypical cells leading up to cancer.

This is a little more info on Pap smears - you may be interested in this, or it may confuse you any more. It basically tells you when HPV testing is done, and when it's not, and the reasons for it.
- If the Pap is normal, no HPV testing is done - even if the virus is there, it doesn't matter b/c you can't get rid of the virus; you only treat if it causes a problem.
- ASCUS - atypical cells and they don't know what they mean - in this situation they do the test for HPV and the result determines the treatment; if positive, you get another exam looking for areas that need to be biopsied; if negative, you get another Pap smear at follow-up
- any other results (low grade, high grade abnormal cells) - almost all of these Pap smears are going to be HPV positive - they just go ahead and treat the cells and don't bother looking for the virus; whether or not it's there doesn't matter; you're treating the cells, not the virus.

[Wahine]

Wahine - actually HPV causes cervical cancer (and vulvar, vaginal, and anal cancers) and warts (genital and otherwise); another virus, the herpes simplex virus (HSV), causes genital herpes; either way, they are transmitted in the same manner.

Hellosunshine - I'm sorry you had to go through all that. But at least you are getting it taken care of early. As for the promiscious thing - it makes people more likely to contract HPV, but like all STDs - one partner who happens to have it can be the cause. The difference between HPV and the others is that it is extremely, extremely prevalent - somewhere around 80% of all college age women who are sexually active will contract HPV at some time - they just may never know it. I hate the way the media makes all women who contract some type of infection appear to be sleeping aroung - it just isn't the case.

Knottedyet - this vaccine should actually be studied in men. HPV can cause cancer in men just in the same way it causes cancer in women, just not as frequently. And I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. Hopefully those deaths will be less frequent in the future.

Okay, I'll be quiet now. But if you have any questions you would like me to attempt to answer, I can try. (I've done some research in this field)

Wow, BTChance. I have been misled and I thought I was fairly informed on the topic. My mother was diagnosed with cervical cancer and the post I wrote was based on information I had gathered at that time. So does having HSV increase the probability of having HPV? Are they linked in some way?

And +1 what Knott said.

Thank you so much for your information.

[Running Mommy]

I had cervical cancer. Actually I've been on a treatment regime twice now because I had an iffy read on a subsequent test.
Never did my doctor mention HPV. I'm glad there is now a vaccine for it, but I don't like how it's being portrayed in such an ugly light.
My husband heard the commercial for the vaccine and asked me if I had an STD. I was MORTIFIED!!! You see he was a virgin when we met, I was not. So somehow I feel like he thinks that I have something horrible that I could possibly pass on to him. It's a very touchy subject between us to say the least.
I still don't know if I have HPV??
My latest battle is with a rogue ovary. My doctor is not liking the looks of one of them so I have to go in for a sonogram. I'm kind of putting it off, tho I know I need to do it. I guess I should ask the OB about the HPV thing when I see her, but I also think that part of me doesn't want to know. I guess my main question is can you have cervical cancer and NOT have HPV??
Anyone know that answer??

[mimitabby]

wow, Running mom, you are a cancer survivor. That is a nasty one, and I know someone that died YOUNG from it too.

Take care of yourself, it sounds like you are living life to the fullest, as we all should.

[trickytiger]

RunningMommy,

I could be wrong, but two types of HPV are responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancers (the viruses are labeled 14 and 16, I think). So, no, you do not have to have HPV to get cervical cancer, but it's most likely involved. Plus, the types of HPV that are linked to cancer are the ones that present no physical symptoms (like warts), so most women would have no idea that they were infected unless they were tested after a bad pap result.

[hellosunshine]

no this all happened feb 16th 2006!

yes,we are lucky in the UK the nat health system is 100% at times........



what also strikes me in how 100% lucky we are that we talk quite openly here,things id never discuss normally,there again as i mix in a male dominated sport i think ive only 2 female friends,so ta v muchy.xx to you all

[btchance]

RunningMommy,

I could be wrong, but two types of HPV are responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancers (the viruses are labeled 14 and 16, I think). So, no, you do not have to have HPV to get cervical cancer, but it's most likely involved. Plus, the types of HPV that are linked to cancer are the ones that present no physical symptoms (like warts), so most women would have no idea that they were infected unless they were tested after a bad pap result.

You're right, you don't have to have HPV to have cervical cancer. It's just that the majority of cervical ca is caused by HPV.

There are different types of HPV that cause different problems (think of them like dogs - different breeds, each with different characteristics but the same basic make-up)

The ones that cause cervical cancer are 16 (50% of all cancers), 18 (10- 12%), 31, 33, 45, 53, and 58 making up the rest. The ones that cause genital warts are 6 and 11 which make up 90% of warts.

The vaccine only contains 16, 18, 6, and 11. So you can see that it does not prevent you from getting cancer or warts; it only decreases your risk. What I'm afraid of is that all of these women will get the vaccine and will assume that they don't need Pap smears, which they absolutely still do need. There is all this talk about risk factors for cervical cancer, but the main one is no Pap smears or infrequent Pap smears - if you have you're yearly Pap smear done, the risk of the abnormal cells progressing to cancer before they are caught is extremely low. So keep getting your Paps even if you get the vaccine. (okay, I'll get off my soap box now. This is just a pet peeve of mine, not watching out for yourself)

I know there are some more questions and I'll get to those in a bit. I've got some studying to do before a certification test tomorrow. I hope this little bit has helped, and I'll keep trying with any questions you ladies have.

[btchance]

Wow, BTChance. I have been misled and I thought I was fairly informed on the topic. My mother was diagnosed with cervical cancer and the post I wrote was based on information I had gathered at that time. So does having HSV increase the probability of having HPV? Are they linked in some way?

And +1 what Knott said.

Thank you so much for your information.

Wahine - herpes virus and HPV are confused pretty often unless you deal with both of them frequently. The difference between the two of them is that:
HSV - causes ulcers, no cancer
HPV - causes warts (growth-looking lesions) and cancer.
Having HSV indirectly increases risk of HPV just because they are transmitted the same way. It doesn't increase the risk in any other way that I know of.