|  | Conditions Treatments | HPV

Treatment for HPV in Women

The human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease. At least 50 percent of sexually active women contract some form of HPV during their lifetime. There are nearly 100 types of HPV. In women, HPV can cause cervical cancer and/or warts. Early detection is crucial in treating the infection.

  1. Symptoms

    • Signs of HPV in women include genital warts, pre-malignant genital lesions, cervical cancer, tumors and oral or upper-respiratory lesions. High-risk forms of HPV can cause cervical cancer in women, while low-risk forms may cause warts. Warts can appear in the anus, vulva and/or vagina. While there is currently no cure for HPV, symptoms can be treated.

    Causes

    • The HPV virus is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. It could enter your body through an open cut or abrasion. Infections associated with genital warts are transmitted through sexual intercourse, anal sex or skin-to-skin contact in the genital region.

    Cervical Cancer

    • Cervical cancer is most treatable when it is diagnosed early, which is why regular Pap tests are so important. The test can identify abnormal cells at an early stage. There are certain treatments used to prevent abnormal cells in the cervix from becoming malignant. Doctors may use laser treatment or cryosurgery, where the affected tissue is burned or frozen off. A LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure) treatment removes the tissue using a hot wire loop. A cone biopsy, in which some of the tissue is removed for microscopic examination, is sometimes recommended. If the infection has progressed to cervical cancer, radiation, chemotherapy and surgery to remove the reproductive organs may be undertaken.

    Warts

    • Genital warts may be burned or frozen off. They may also be cut off. In some cases, surgery may be needed to remove warts. Warts may also disappear on their own without any treatment.

    Prevention/Solution

    • There is now a vaccine, Gardasil, that can protect women from four types of HPV. They are the most common strains that cause cervical cancer and genital warts. It is recommended for girls as young as age 11 and up to 26. However, it is only effective in women and girls who have not yet been infected by HPV.

      Women can also protect themselves from the virus by practicing sexual abstinence or monogamy. Condoms offer limited protection from HPV infections, as well.

HPV - Related Articles