cervical cancer

[hellosunshine]

another rant!!!


in the newspaper today there is an article about vaccines for this "sex disease"insinuating it happens to promiscious women.


i had to be cut and burt out for this after a dodgey smear.VERY unpleasant experience-i was off the bike for a day!!!!!!BUT this just adds shame to the whole experience.

i lost my virginity when i was 21,i have never slept about ,im just unlucky,makes me seeeeeeeeeeeeeethe.


actually does the bike contribute to cervical cancer?not that itd stop me riding.

[Wahine]

Sunshine - Riding the bike does not contribute to cervical cancer. HPV, the Human Papilloma Virus, does. This is the virus that is responsible for Herpes - all the different kinds, from what I understand. As genital herpes is sexually transmitted, you are more likely to get HPV if you have multiple sex partners. Having said that, it only takes one exposure and the estimates in North America are that 1 in every 4 people is carrying HPV. So.... Do the math and it doesn't take long to see that it's not uncommon and risk of exposure is high even in people who have one partner.

You are more likely to have cervical cancer if you have HPV.

HPV is a virus that stays in the body and looks for opportune moments to rear it's ugly head. If your immune system is suppressed, you are more likely to have an outbreak. I'm not sure if mechanical irritation contributes to outbreaks or not.

I hope this helps. I understand how irritating it is when these diseases are labeled in a way that makes the sufferer look like they deserve it. It's completely insensitive and ignorant.

[SouthernBelle]

Chose to Know

OR

Make the Commitment

[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?

[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]

Thanks trickytiger for helping to answer that question. I don't have time to type out some answers this morning but I will get to them this evening.

And RunningMommy - get your butt to the doctor to get that sonogram!!! Ovaries are not something to mess with. (you're not going to make me beg for you to go, are you ?)

[Crankin]

My best friend from childhood died from cervical cancer at age 21. Although I had moved away, I believe that she was diagnosed at age 15, and had a hysterectomy shortly after that (it had spread). I wouldn't care what people are insinuating about the link between sex and HPV/cancer. If I had a daughter, I would insist she get the vaccine.
It's amazing I have lived this long...

[bmccasland]

OK, I'll ask a dumb (?) question .. I've been getting Pap smears for years, doesn't this test for HPV? Have my annual physical in a couple of months and inquiring minds want to know.

(and yeah, I know, "there's no such thing as a dumb question".)

[SalsaMTB]

OK, I'll ask a dumb (?) question .. I've been getting Pap smears for years, doesn't this test for HPV? Have my annual physical in a couple of months and inquiring minds want to know.

(and yeah, I know, "there's no such thing as a dumb question".)

+1. I'm curious to know this also. I know very little about cervical cancer and HPV.

Also, for people in US, how does getting tested for HPV impact insurance coverage? Just curious, if you test positive, but don't have cancer and do nothing, then later get diagnosed with cancer, will insurance still cover treatment??

The reason I ask this is something I recall my mother telling me. I do not know if this is still true, so if someone knows it isn't, please correct me. A friend of the family has been fighting breast cancer. She carries one of the genes that makes you significantly more likely to get the cancer. She wanted her daughter to get tested for the gene, but her daughter was reluctant because if she were found positive for the gene, she would need to take preventative measures for breast cancer (ie preventative mastectomy), otherwise insurance would not cover treatment later on in life if she were to get breast cancer.