The human papillomavirus or HPV and, within this group, the so-called oncogenic HPV (ability to induce cellular alterations that eventually lead to cancer) are responsible for cervical carcinoma, its precursor lesions and genital warts. It is transmitted through sexual intercourse and is a virus widely spread in both the male and female population.
The only prevention derives from three basic aspects. Firstly, the use of condoms during sexual intercourse. Secondly, vaccination against the HPV types responsible for 80% of cervical cancer cases and 75% of genital warts. And thirdly, regular check-ups by gynecologists in order to diagnose the process in early stages of the disease.
Condoms, vaccination and check-ups are key to prevention.
There is less and less doubt about the benefit of vaccination. In Spain, most of the Autonomous Communities have included free vaccination for girls at the age of 14.
This does not mean that older girls and women up to 35 years of age do not benefit from vaccination. Current recommendations advise vaccinating all sexually active women up to 35 years of age.
Unfinished business
According to Dr. Zapico: “there are still two very important aspects to which we are not able to give a satisfactory answer. On the one hand, it is not possible to differentiate which women carrying the virus will develop the disease. In most cases, the woman’s immune system manages to make the virus disappear (spontaneous clearance of the virus)”.
On the other hand, effective treatments have yet to be discovered to help negative the situation of carriers of the virus and thus reduce the incidence of women developing the disease.