The HPV DNA test is a laboratory test that is performed by taking a small sample of cells of the cervix to look for DNA of human papillomaviruses (HPV). HPV can cause abnormal tissue growth (for example, warts) and other changes to cells. Infection for a long time with certain types of HPV can cause cervical cancer. HPV can also play a role in other types of cancer, such as cancers of the anus, vagina, vulva, penis, or oropharynx.

We’re talking about a virus with at least 100 variants. In cases of low-risk HPV, they are usually cleared by our own immune system without further symptoms. Otherwise, the human papillomavirus can cause warts, usually on the hands or feet, and early cellular changes that could lead to cervical cancer, even weeks or months after contact.

It’s important to mention here that cervical cancer is considered the fourth leading cause of death in women, even though we have two important tools at our disposal to prevent it: preventive screening with Pap tests, which, unfortunately, while they should be done once a year, a large portion of the female population neglects to do, and the HPV vaccine, which adolescents are required to get before they become sexually active!

What should I know about HPV?

  • How it is transmitted: The HPV virus is transmitted through sexual contact (vaginal, anal, or oral sex) from the moment one of the partners is a carrier, on the skin and mucous membranes.
  • What symptoms do you have? In the early stages of infection, there may be no symptoms at all. That’s why many people who are carriers of the HPV virus are unaware of it.
  • Does the HPV virus cause cancer? Some forms of the virus can cause precancerous changes in the cervix, vulva, penis, and anus. HPV-16 and HPV-18 are considered more aggressive than these.

Does the HPV virus cause cervical cancer, and what is the prognosis?

The aggressive types of the virus we mentioned earlier -HPV-16 & HPV-18- clearly increase the risk of cancer by causing cervical dysplasia. If it’s a serious dysplasia and persists for more than 3 to 5 years, there’s a possibility it could develop into cervical cancer.

  • The most direct way is to take precautions during sexual intercourse by using a condom from the beginning to the end of the sexual encounter to reduce the risk of infection.
  • Limit the number of sexual partners.
  • The HPV vaccine, which was discovered at least 15 years ago (since June 2006), is an important way to address the issue.

In Greece, two types of vaccines are available: bivalent vaccines for the aggressive types of the HPV virus, HPV-16 and HPV-18, and quadrivalent vaccines that also cover the HPV-6 and HPV-11 strains, which are responsible for 90% of warts. They are aimed at girls aged 12-15 and young women aged 16-26.

The vaccine is most effective in women who have not been infected. That’s why it is recommended to be administered before they become sexually active. See here how you can do it.

Along with the vaccine, once sexual activity begins, it is recommended to have preventive check-ups once a year.

Preventive HPV cervical screenings:

The well-known Pap test starts simultaneously with a woman’s sexual life and is repeated annually during her yearly medical check-up, even after menopause. The Pap test, which we all know, is a painless medical examination performed on all days except during menstruation, with an empty bladder and a speculum, so that the gynecologist can collect cells (smear) from the cervix with a brush or spatula, which are then examined for the presence of abnormal cells in the cervix.

If it’s negative, it’s repeated after a year and then annually as a preventive measure. Otherwise, a colposcopy and biopsy (always performed by certified gynecologists) are done to detect pathological changes in the cervix, as well as in the vagina or vulva, or an HPV test.

What is the HPV cervical test, and when can it be done?

The well-known Pap test starts simultaneously with a woman’s sexual life and is repeated annually during her yearly medical check-up, even after menopause. The Pap test, which we all know, is a painless medical examination performed on all days except during menstruation, with an empty bladder and a speculum, so that the gynecologist can collect cells (smear) from the cervix with a brush or spatula, which are then examined for the presence of abnormal cells in the cervix.

If it’s negative, it’s repeated after a year and then annually as a preventive measure. Otherwise, a colposcopy and biopsy (always performed by certified gynecologists) are done to detect pathological changes in the cervix, as well as in the vagina or vulva, or an HPV test.

Is cervical cancer curable?

First and foremost, the goal is to prevent cancer. How?
Precancerous cells are surgically removed laparoscopically, and the patient is monitored to check the virus status and prevent any cervical cancer. In an advanced but still initial stage, the entire cervix is removed; otherwise, radiation is administered with very high survival rates of 71%-92% for at least 5 years from the date of diagnosis.

For more information you could: https://www.cancer.gov