Herpes Virus Linked to Cervical Cancer
Herpes Virus Linked to Cervical Cancer
Nov. 5, 2002 -- Genital herpes increases the risk of cervical cancer -- which kills thousands of women every year -- by acting as an "accomplice" to another common virus that commonly causes this cancer.
Herpes simplex virus-2, the cause of genital herpes, was detected in nearly half of women with invasive cervical cancer -- nearly twice as often as in women without signs of cancer, researches report in a study published in the Nov. 6 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
But this doesn't mean that all women with herpes simplex-2 (HSV-2) are at increased risk. In fact, those diagnosed with HSV-2 face no additional risk if they are not also infected with human papillomavirus (HPV).
"The message of this study is to reinforce the importance of getting regular Pap smear screenings at good laboratories, which detect the presence of papillomavirus," says Mark Schiffman, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, who was not involved in the study.
"If you get regular Pap screenings and they produce normal results, then relax," he tells WebMD. "Even if you have been diagnosed with herpes 2, it's a minor player in the risk of cervical cancer and is only active when in conjunction with papillomavirus."
There are nearly 100 different types of HPV, and together they infect about 24 million Americans. About one-third are transmitted through sexual contact without a condom or diaphragm and most are harmless, while others cause genital warts.
However, "there are 14 high-risk HPV types that have been clearly shown to cause invasive cervical cancer," lead researcher Jennifer Smith, PhD, tells WebMD. These strains cause at least 90% of all cervical cancers, as well as other genital cancers.
In her study, researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France found that women infected with both HPV and HSV-2 were two to three times more likely to get cervical cancer. They studied nearly 2,400 women living in seven countries in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Women of Asian descent have the highest frequency of cervical cancer.
Herpes simplex virus-2, the cause of genital herpes, was detected in nearly half of women with invasive cervical cancer -- nearly twice as often as in women without signs of cancer, researches report in a study published in the Nov. 6 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
But this doesn't mean that all women with herpes simplex-2 (HSV-2) are at increased risk. In fact, those diagnosed with HSV-2 face no additional risk if they are not also infected with human papillomavirus (HPV).
"The message of this study is to reinforce the importance of getting regular Pap smear screenings at good laboratories, which detect the presence of papillomavirus," says Mark Schiffman, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, who was not involved in the study.
"If you get regular Pap screenings and they produce normal results, then relax," he tells WebMD. "Even if you have been diagnosed with herpes 2, it's a minor player in the risk of cervical cancer and is only active when in conjunction with papillomavirus."
There are nearly 100 different types of HPV, and together they infect about 24 million Americans. About one-third are transmitted through sexual contact without a condom or diaphragm and most are harmless, while others cause genital warts.
However, "there are 14 high-risk HPV types that have been clearly shown to cause invasive cervical cancer," lead researcher Jennifer Smith, PhD, tells WebMD. These strains cause at least 90% of all cervical cancers, as well as other genital cancers.
In her study, researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France found that women infected with both HPV and HSV-2 were two to three times more likely to get cervical cancer. They studied nearly 2,400 women living in seven countries in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Women of Asian descent have the highest frequency of cervical cancer.
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