Preventing Cervical Cancer through HPV Vaccinations Essay examples

What is the Human Papillomavirus? Commonly known as HPV, it is an infection that spreads through sexual contact. There are over one hundred different types of HPV; several types cause genital warts, while other high risk strands can lead to cancer of the cervix, anus, vagina, and penis. Because HPV is often asymptomatic, many people are unaware of their infection status, and thus, their potential for transmitting the virus to a sexual partner. The significance of the Human Papillomavirus is that fifty percent of Americans who are sexually active will contract it within their lives, and at any given point there are twenty million Americans already infected with it (“By the numbers: HPV Vaccine”).

This year alone approximately 12,360 documented new cases of cervical cancer in the United States and 4,020 deaths according to National Cancer Institute (“Cervical Cancer”, 2014). Cervical cancer is a slow growing cancer that grows in the tissues of the cervix (an organ that connects the uterus and vagina). The disease is predominantly caused by the human papillomavirus infection (HPV). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the HPV virus is so common that nearly all sexually active women and men get it at some point in their lives. Many types of HPV exist, some causing genital warts and potentially cervical cancer. Individuals can get HPV by having unprotected genital to genital touching, oral, vaginal, or anal sex. Anyone who is sexually active can get HPV, and can develop symptoms years after they had sex with someone who is infected, making it difficult to know when they first became infected.

HPV is so common in the United States that nearly all men and women will contract the virus at some point during life (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2017). In the United States, in 2008, it is reported that 3.2 million, or one in four adolescent women, ages 14 to 19 have had or have an STD (Kostas-Polston et al., 2012). The rate of HPV cases has only increased since 2008. The prevalence of a genital infection with any HPV type was 42.5% among United States during 2013–2014 (CDC, 2017). The incidence of HPV in the United States is about 14 million people each year.

Cervical cancer is when there are malignant cells present in the cervix; it is developed in the lining of the cervix. A cervix is a narrow opening located at the bottom of the uterus that leads into the vagina. Cervical cancer mostly affects women between the ages of 40 and 55. This cancer can be prevented by screening for precancerous cells, and it can also be cured if it is detected at an early stage. Over the past few decades the number of cervical cancer cases has declined dramatically due to a more widespread screening of the disease. Today, it is estimated that 10,000 new

Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Journal of Women’s Health 20(10):1479-84 doi: 10.1089/jwh.2010.2530. Epub 2011 Jul 20

The symptoms of cervical cancer are not always obvious thus the introduction of NHS cervical screening programme. The aim of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme is prevent the number women who die from cervical cancer each year due to not having early diagnoses. Since the introduction of the programme, a report was done between the NHS Cervical Screening Programme and Trent Cancer Registry it found that “Incidence and mortality rates in England have fallen considerably over the past 20 years. During this period, incidence rates decreased by over a third and mortality rates reduced by 60%. Survival, following a diagnosis of cervical cancer has improved in England since the 1980’s from the 83% to 88%”. (NHS, 2012, pp. P10-11).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Human papillomavirus (HPV) infects roughly 20 million individuals in the United States with 6.1 million new cases each year. There is no cure for HPV, only treatment for associated health problems. There are more than 30 strains of HPV that affect more than half of sexually active individuals in their lifetime. Public health risks involve several types of HPV leading to precancerous lesions and causing 70% of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer, the second most common cancer, affects many women globally. In the United States, nearly 10,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually and 3,700 of those women die. It has been reported by American Cancer Society that with early

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancerous death, in women, since 1950. Approximately 200,000 cervical cancer patients die each year in developing countries. Strains like HPV 16 and 18 cause about 70% of cervical cancer in women– one of the top causes of death in the world (WebMD, 2010, p.1). In the Unites States, about 10,000 women acquire the disease and 3,700 die annually Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is directly associated as a cause of cervical cancer. This virus affects the skin and genital area and, in some cases, it can also infect the throat and mouth. Since the HPV is passed from one person to another through skin-to-skin or sexual contact, sexually active people are more prone to this virus. Merck

HPV is the single biggest cause of cervical cancer and oropharyngeal cancers, according to the CDC. Between 2008 and 2012, almost 39,000 U.S. citizens were diagnosed with HPV-related cancer every year. Fifty-nine percent of them women and 41 percent men, researchers report. But while Pap smears and HPV tests have reduced rates of cervical cancer in woman, rates of oral cancer are growing in men.

In US cervical cancer is ranked 13th most common cancer in women and 4th among women between 15 to 44 years.

Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are just three of the several treatments for cancer. They all come with risks, just like almost anything in life. There are specially trained doctors for performing surgery to treat cancer; these doctors are called oncologists. Surgery may not be an ideal option for all cervical cancer patients though. “Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to destroy cancer cells... Radiation therapy may be given alone, before surgery, or instead of surgery to shrink the tumor. Many women may be treated with a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy” (Cervical Cancer: Treatment Options). “Radiation and Chemotherapy are the most common forms of treatment” according to (Cervical Cancer: Treatment Options). “Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells, usually by stopping the cancer cell's ability to grow and divide” (Cervical Cancer: Treatment Options) Although each form of treatment is somewhat similar, some people might prefer one or the other for various

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus that spreads from person to person by direct contact of infected tissue. According to the CDC, nearly all men and women will contract HPV at some point in their life (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2013). HPV can cause cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers in females. HPV can also cause anal, throat, and neck cancer in both males and females. HPV is also known to cause genital warts in both males and females. According to the National Cancer Institute (2013), “approximately 12,340 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the US, and 4,030 US women will die

HPV is caused by direct skin contact, and also can be sexually transmitted. There is no direct treatment for HPV, but there are treatments for the health problems the virus can cause. For example, medications that can be taken to get rid of warts. PV can be prevented by safe sex, vaccination and regular pap smears. HPV can affect both males and females. Up to 80% of males and females are prone to getting at least one type of genital HPV in their life. Anyone who has any kind of sexual activity involving genital contact could get genital

Treatment consists of surgery in early stages and chemotherapy and radiotherapy in advanced stages of the disease. An effective HPV vaccine against the two most common cancer-causing strains of HPV has recently been licensed in the U.S. These two HPV strains together are

Cervical cancer is one type of cancer happening from the cervix due to abnormal growth of cells. There are many reasons to cause cervical cancer. One of them is that the abnormal cells from other parts of body are able to invade or spread to the cervix and cause the abnormal growth. Unfortunately, in early stage, typically no symptoms are seen, and later symptoms may include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, or pain during sexual intercourse. What’s more, when bleeding after sex, it also may indicate the presence of cervical cancer.7