Human papillomavirus (HPV) Cancer Prevention

Prevalence of HPV in the United States

HPV is the most common sexual transmitted infection in the United
States. In the United States approximately 20-million people are
currently infected with HPV. About 6.2 million Americans will get
infected with genital HPV this year. According to the National Cervical
Cancer Coalition (NCCC) 11% of American women do not have regular
cervical cancer screenings. Women who do not have cervical cancer
screenings on a regular basis dramatically increase their chances of
developing cervical cancer. About 14,000 women in the United States are
diagnosed with cervical cancer disease each year and more than 3,900
women die in the United States each year from this disease. According
to The Journal of the American Medical Association (Dunne, Eileen F. et
al, 2007) the prevalence of HPV infection among females in the United
States is as follows;

• 24.5% prevalence of HPV among females 14 to 19 years old
• 44.8% prevalence of HPV among females 20 to 24 years old
• 27.4% prevalence of HPV among females 25 to 29 years old
• 27.5% prevalence of HPV among females 30 to 39 years old
• 25.2% prevalence of HPV among females 40 to 49 years old
• 19.6% prevalence of HPV among females 50 to 59 years old

LINK/Wiki to all cancer related information







The change of cells from

benign to malignant (progressivly getting worce) getting or behavior is called malignant transformation. This diagnosis is made by pathologicmedical history
examination, can find that there have been changes in size or patient
sensation and, upon direct examination, that there has been a change in
the lesion itself.

Several types of HPV, particularly type 16, have been found to be
associated with oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma, a form of throat
cancer. ^[17]

Genome organization of human papillomavirus type 16, one of the
subtypes known to cause cervical cancer.

A history of infection with one or more high-risk HPV types is
believed to be a prerequisite for the development of cervical cancer
(the vast majority of HPV infections are not high risk); according to
the American Cancer Society,
women with no history of the virus do not develop this type of cancer.
However, most HPV infections are cleared rapidly by the immune system
and do not progress to cervical cancer. Because the process of
transforming normal cervical cells into cancerous ones is slow, cancer
occurs in people who have been infected with HPV for a long time,
usually over a decade or more.

Sexually transmitted HPVs also cause a major fraction of anal cancers
and approximately 25% of cancers of the mouth and upper throat (known
as the oropharynx) (see figure). The latter commonly present in the
tonsil area and HPV is linked to the increase in oral cancers in
non-smokers. Engaging in anal sex or oral sex with an HPV-infected partner may increase the risk of developing these types of cancers.

Men
most often have two types of questions or concerns when they first hear
about HPV: What are their own risks from HPV, and how can they help
protect their partners?

Additional information on HPV and men can be obtained from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC fact sheet.

1. Do men get HPV?
2. How common is HPV in men?
3. What are the symptoms of the HPV virus?
4. Is there an HPV test for men?
5. Is there an HPV vaccine for men?
6. Should you stop having sex with your partner if she finds out she has HPV?
7. What can you do to protect yourself, and your partner?
8. 
   
   

	Do men get HPV?
	Yes, men get HPV in the same way women do, through intimate (genital) skin-to-skin contact - usually through sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal). However, HPV rarely causes serious health problems in men, particularly in those who have healthy immune systems. Back to top
	How common is HPV in men?
	HPV is very common in both men and women. It's difficult to develop specific estimates for men, since large studies among males have not been done in the United States, and an FDA-approved HPV test for men is not available. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than half of American men will get HPV at some point in their lives. Back to top
	What are the symptoms of the HPV virus?
	The HPV virus usually does not produce any symptoms. Even if the virus causes changes in skin cells, they are often so minor they are not noticeable (and are not of concern). When the HPV virus does cause noticeable changes, the most common result is genital warts – typically appearing around the anus or on the penis, scrotum (testicles), groin or thighs. These warts can vary in appearance from small, flaky patches to pronounced, raised growths. Genital warts are not serious and can be treated, although they may re-appear if the body's immune system has not fully suppressed the HPV virus. Rarely, "high-risk" types of HPV can cause certain types of cancer, such as cancer of the penis or anus (with the latter usually occurring in gay, bisexual or HIV-positive men).

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