Human Papillomavirus and Associated Cancers: A Review

Abstract

The human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Most HPV infections clear spontaneously within 2 years of infection; however, persistent infection can result in a wide array of diseases, ranging from genital warts to cancer. Most cases of cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers are due to HPV infection, with cervical cancer being one of the leading causes of cancer death in women worldwide. Screening is available for HPV and cervical cancer, but is not available everywhere, particularly in lower-resource settings. HPV infection disproportionally affects individuals living with HIV, resulting in decreased clearance, increased development of cancer, and increased mortality. The development of the HPV vaccine has shown a drastic decrease in HPV-related diseases. The vaccine prevents cervical cancer with near 100% efficacy, if given prior to first sexual activity. Vaccination uptake remains low worldwide due to a lack of access and limited knowledge of HPV. Increasing awareness of HPV and access to vaccination are necessary to decrease cancer and HPV-related morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Keywords: HIV; HPV vaccine; cervical cancer; human papillomavirus.

Figure 1

Depiction of HPV-related cancers comparing percentages of HPV-associated cause and other causes [9,10].

Figure 2

World map representing the percentages of HPV vaccine availability by WHO region: the Americas, Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Africa. Map courtesy of mapchart.net under Creative Commons licensing.