NEW YORK, Feb 17 (Reuters Health) -- It is one of the most common sexually
transmitted diseases in the United States, but 70% of Americans 18 and older
said they have not heard of the human papillomavirus (HPV), according to results
of a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit agency based in Menlo
Park, California.
HPV, which infects more than 5 million people each year, can cause genital
warts or can be completely symptom-free.
There are more than 70 different types of HPV that can cause warts on the
hands, feet, lips, tongue and genitals. About 13 of the viruses that are
sexually transmitted have been linked with genital or anal cancers in men and
women. However, most people infected with HPV never develop cancer.
According to the survey of more than 1,000 people, only 41% of those
surveyed knew that the virus can lead to cervical cancer and 42% knew that it
could cause genital warts. Only 5% said they had discussed HPV with their
healthcare provider. About half knew that the virus is not curable, the survey
found.
"HPV can cause warts and cervical disease in some people but they are a
minority. The good news is that no one needs to die of diseases caused by this
virus," said Dr. J. Thomas Cox, executive medical director of the American
Social Health Association.
In most cases, genital warts do not develop into cancer, Cox said. "The
anxiety surrounding HPV is not necessary," said Cox, who presented the results
of the survey at a press briefing here on Thursday. Over time, most people
probably suppress the virus to the point where it is no longer detectable or
contagious, Cox said.
If a woman is at risk for cervical cancer, she doesn't necessarily need to
be tested for HPV. A routine Pap test in which a swab is taken from the cervix
during a gynecological exam, transferred to a slide and examined under a
microscope can determine if cells are undergoing precancerous changes that need
to be treated.
Last year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a DNA test that
can identify the exact type of the virus. The test can detect about 90% of
cervical cancer cases, compared with about 70% to 80% of cancer cases detected
through the Pap test.
However, the DNA test is not yet widely available in the US. It is not
clear whether all women should receive DNA screening for HPV, which occurs in
many women but causes cancer in a minority, or if the test should target
specific groups of women.
For example, older women, sexually active teenagers and women in
developing countries who do not get regular Pap tests or do not have access to
basic medical facilities may benefit from the DNA test. Researchers said more
studies are needed to determine if widespread testing for HPV is economically
feasible and if it can lower rates of cervical cancer.
The American Cancer Society estimates that during 2000, about 12,800 cases
of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the US and about 4,600 women
will die from the disease.
