Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer

Abstract

Cervical cancer is by far the most common HPV-related disease. About 99.7% of cervical cancer cases are caused by persistent genital high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Worldwide, cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women with an estimated 528,000 new cases reported in 2012. Most HPV infections clear spontaneously but persistent infection with the oncogenic or high-risk types may cause cancer of the oropharynx and anogenital regions. The virus usually infects the mucocutaneous epithelium and produces viral particles in matured epithelial cells and then causes a disruption in normal cell-cycle control and the promotion of uncontrolled cell division leading to the accumulation of genetic damage. There are currently two effective prophylactic vaccines against HPV infection, and these comprise of HPV types 16 and 18, and HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 virus-like particles. HPV testing in the secondary prevention of cervical cancer is clinically valuable in triaging low-grade cytological abnormalities and is also more sensitive than cytology as a primary screening. If these prevention strategies can be implemented in both developed and developing countries, many thousands of lives could be saved.

Keywords:

• Cervical cancer
• high-risk HPV
• HPV vaccines
• screening
• triaging

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Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the mentorship provided by Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development Services of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, Prof Rose Anorlu, Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos and Phyllis Kanki, Harvard University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA, throughout the preparation of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The author declared no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The work reported in this publication was supported by the Fogarty International Center and National Institute of Mental Health, of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers D43TW010543 and D43TW010134. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.