You’re hearing much more about human papillomavirus, also known as HPV. There’s a reason for this. It can be a potentially fatal cause of cancer.
But the good news is that there’s a vaccination that can help. Dr. Alan Patterson explains more about what different types of HPV exist, what they mean, and how we can help you prevent it.
HPV, as a class of diseases, comprises over 200 viruses, which come in high-risk and low-risk varieties. It’s spread by sexual activity and includes anal, oral, and vaginal sex.
The good news is that there’s a vaccination that you should get that can help prevent the high-risk varieties.
There are two risk groups or classes of HPV strains.
The low-risk variety means that you’re at lower risk that it will turn into cancer. This is far more common. However, some of the strains of HPV can cause genital warts on or around your genitals, mouth, anus, or throat. Other warts can form in your larynx or respiratory tract, which can sometimes be part of a condition called respiratory papillomatosis. This may make it difficult to breathe.
If you’ve been diagnosed with high-risk HPV, it’s a very serious matter that requires more observation. The high-risk category includes 12 specific strains that are identified as being at higher risk of developing cancer. Your type of HPV is one of those 12, but only 3 are associated with the more increased cancer risk , those 3 are type 16, 18 and 45.
A lot of confusion surrounds HPV for many reasons. Most everyone who’s sexually active has some form of HPV. In fact, many people – regardless of their sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation – are exposed to it within a few months to five years of becoming sexually active.
The bad news is that about half of all of these cases are the type that are the highest risk for cancer. The good news is that this should encourage you to schedule an appointment for vaccination immediately.
Once you have HPV, you may not have it forever. Very often, your body simply recovers from the HPV infection. Your immune system clears them, usually within a year or two.
However, this is not always the case, and there are certain circumstances where you need to pay more attention. You can’t always count on it going away, particularly if your strain is already high-risk. Sometimes, it can get worse and can cause cell changes that lead to pre-cancerous and cancerous conditions. It’s important to keep up with regular testing.
Several of the cancers that are still accounting for most new cases are those that are preventable by vaccination. The HPV vaccine has been available for many years, and vaccination is recommended, usually starting at age 11 or 12.
You can still get vaccinated up to age 26. Some people aged 27-45 are still recommended to get vaccinated, but this requires a discussion with your doctor.
If you have been diagnosed with high-risk HPV, it’s important to follow up on your health care. It may be a serious or less serious matter, (And speak to you doctor about getting vaccinated for HPV if you haven’t done it already, but that is always an individual choice and no one should be forced to take a vaccine, because vaccines can sometimes have bad side effects!) Contact Dr. Alan Patterson at his Coral Springs, FL office or request an appointment online.
