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The human papilloma virus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection, is responsible for virtually all cervical cancersas well as a variable proportion of cancers of the vagina, vulva, anus, penis, and oropharynx.
Every year, around the world, more than 550,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed and more than 300,000 women die from this disease. In Europe, infection by this virus also has a powerful impact on health: between 284,000 and 540,000 precancerous lesions caused by HPV are diagnosed annually, between 750,000 and 930,000 cases of genital warts and around 44,000 cancers.
El VPH
affects 80% of the sexually active population
. Most people become infected shortly after becoming sexually active, but infection can occur at any time in life. A good part of the infections remit spontaneously and many of them will even go unnoticed. However, around 10-20% of these persist over time, which can lead to the appearance of premalignant lesions or cancer.
For several decades, cervical cancer prevention has been carried out by detecting premalignant lesions with cytology o Pap smear (secondary prevention or screening). Early diagnosis and treatment of these lesions prevents the development of cancer. Recently, the detection of HPV in the cervix has been shown to be more useful in cancer prevention than cytology.
To prevent HPV infection, in 2006 the marketing of two vaccines that protect against HPV types 16 and 18. Vaccines against HPV demonstrated a very high safety and efficacy (close to 100%) in preventing infection and therefore also in the appearance of premalignant lesions and cancer. In our country there are currently three vaccines marketed with which it is possible prevent about 90% of cancers caused by this virus (cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, penis and oropharynx). It is only included in the vaccination calendar for girls, however, it has also shown benefit in children, as well as in adult women and men, recall from the Spanish Association of Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy (AEPCC) on the occasion of the International Day of Awareness of the HPV that is celebrated this Friday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that it is possible to achieve cervical cancer removal combined high vaccination coverage against HPV and adequate screening of the population. Currently, the incidence of uterine cancer is 13 cases per 100,000 women in the world and 6 cases per 100,000 in Spain. This type of cancer would be considered eradicated if the incidence did not exceed 4 cases per 100,000.