Long-term Complications Of High-Risk HPV Infection In Women

 According to CDC, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection.¹ It spreads via intimate skin-to-skin contact, vaginal, oral or anal sex with a partner who is infected by the virus.¹ Majority of high-risk HPV infections are asymptomatic and most carriers never experience any symptoms or health issues.² As a result, some high-risk infections go undetected and may lead to severe complications in women in the later stages of their life.

This blog will mainly focus on the different types of HPV infections and how they can lead to some complications if left untreated.

What Are Low-Risk And High-Risk HPV Genotypes?

There are over 200 different types of HPV infections, from which around 40 types can cause an infection in your genital area, anus, mouth or throat.³ They are classified into low-risk and high-risk HPV genotypes.

Low-risk HPV Genotypes:

Most low-risk genital HPV strain infections are asymptomatic and go away when the body develops immunity to the virus. However, there are a few low-risk HPV genotypes like HPV 6 and HPV 11, that cause genital warts in patients.⁴ Some other low-risk HPV genotypes include 42, 43, and 44.⁵

High-risk HPV Genotypes:

There are approximately 14 different high-risk HPV genotypes.⁶ These are often referred to as oncogenic or cancer-causing infections. Approximately 5,70,000 women get HPV-related cancer due to such high-risk types of infections.⁶

High-risk HPV infections that persist for a long time can result in cancer of the cervix, throat, anus, penis, vagina, and vulva, among other body areas where HPV infects cells.⁷

The majority of HPV infections are temporary. More than 90% of early HPV infections, including those brought on by high-risk HPV strains resolve or go undetected in less than two years.⁸ The most significant risk factor for HPV-related disorders, such as cancer precursors and invasive cervical carcinoma, is an ongoing high-risk HPV infection.

Complications Of High-Risk HPV In Women

Since most patients do not experience symptoms of this viral infection, it can easily go undetected for years. The cells affected by the high-risk HPV virus can give rise to a tumour and lead to cancer. Regular HPV testing is the best way for a sexually active individual to stay on top of the situation.

The HPV-related cancers in women include:

1. Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is cancer in the tissues of the cervix (the organ that links the vagina to the uterus). Over 9 out of 10 cases of cervical cancer occur due to high-risk genotypes of HPV.⁹ Cervical cancer has an incidence rate of 18.3% in India and is the 3rd most common cancer in the country.¹⁰ High-risk HPV genotypes HPV 16 and HPV 18 are responsible for over 70% of cases of cervical cancer.¹¹

2. Oral Cancer

Apart from playing a significant role in causing cervical cancer, HPV can also result in mouth, tongue or oropharyngeal cancer. The oropharynx is the middle portion of the throat from the tonsils to the tip of the voicebox. The incidence of oral cancer due to HPV is constantly increasing. Its prevalence is 36.6% in India, which is even higher than the global average.¹²

3. Anal Cancer

Another severe complication of high-risk HPV infection is suffering from anal cancer. Approximately 91% of anal cancers are caused by this virus.¹³ Although anal cancer is a rare complication, you are more likely to get anal cancer if you are above 75 years of age, if you smoke, or have a weakened immune system.¹⁴

4. Vaginal And Vulvar Cancer

HPV is one of the major risk factors for vagina cancer.¹⁵ Early detection of vaginal cancer can result in up to 66% 5-year survival rate.¹⁶ Therefore, regular screening for HPV infection can help prevent the occurrence of severe complications from the infection. The cells in the outer female reproductive part, the vulva, are also vulnerable to cancer due to high-risk HPV genotypes.¹⁷

In Conclusion

Untreated high-risk HPV genotypes can result in major complications for women: one of them being an increased risk of developing the above-mentioned types of cancers. It is thus best to take precautions and prevent developing an HPV infection by taking all the precautionary measures. You may begin by getting the HPV vaccination, followed by regular screening after the age of 30.¹⁸ "LifeCell’s at-home self-collection HPV Test- Female kit" is one of the many screening options you can choose from. It screens for 24 high-risk HPV strains and provides results within 2 days. This will help avoid the progression of cervical or any other types of cancer that may be triggered as a result of a long-term HPV infection.