Findings from a recent government study will help researchers in gauging the effectiveness of preventative treatments for cancers associated with human papillomavirus, or HPV.
The report, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month, said about 25,000 cases of HPV-associated cancers occurred annually between 1998 and 2003.
The research was conducted in 38 states and the District of Columbia, according to a statement by the CDC.
HPV is a very common virus that’s transmitted sexually through skin-to-skin contact, said Erica Phillipich, director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Olin Health Center.
When HPV symptoms manifest, it’s either in the form of genital warts or abnormal cervical cells in women. For men, it manifests only in genital warts.
The abnormal cells that occur in women can lead to many different types of cancer, including cervical cancer, Phillipich said.
The study also found that cervical cancer was the most common HPV-related cancer, with almost 11,000 cases reported yearly.
The data collected will help measure the effectiveness of cervical cancer screenings and HPV vaccinations, such as Gardasil, which was the first vaccine developed to protect against cervical cancer and genital warts, according to a CDC summary. It was licensed in June 2006.
“HPV can lead to cervical cancer in women and, therefore, is a particular concern in this population,” CDC spokeswoman Nikki Kay said in an e-mail.
Only four strains of HPV can cause cervical cancer, MSU microbiology professor Michele Fluck said.
According to the CDC, there are more than 100 strains of HPV. About 30 of these strains are transmitted sexually.
In more rare cases, HPV can lead to cancer of the genital area, according to the report.
The virus can stay inside cells and affect their genetic makeup, and the tumors that can result from HPV take a long time to grow, Fluck said.
“The vast majority of people that have it don’t know they have it and don’t show symptoms,” Phillipich said.
According to the CDC Web site, 90 percent of people will clear the virus in two years. It’s when the virus doesn’t clear that problems can start.
Phillipich suggests that women get a yearly gynecological check-up to check for HPV. There is no test for men.
The CDC also suggests getting vaccinated against HPV and limiting the number of sexual partners as a way to avoid HPV infection.
“Preventative health care and taking care of yourself to the best of your ability is always one of the best things to do,” Phillipich said.
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