Do Genital Warts Cause Cervical Cancer?

Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, is a serious STD that can cause cervical cancer in women. However, there are many strains of HPV (more than 40 that can infect the genitals), including common warts on the hands and feet. In fact, 90% of HPV viruses are cleared out of the body within 24 months, and most people who have HPV don't even know it. If you have a wart or have ever had a wart on your feet or hands, then you have had HPV. HPV is actually among the most common STDs, simply because you don't even have to be sexually active to get it (although sexual acitivity, including oral sexual activity, is the most common way to get HPV).

HPV is commonly associated with genital warts, and it's a common belief as well that genital warts cause cervical cancer. Actually, if the HPV virus (which over 50% of the human population will contract in some point of their lives) doesn't clear from the body within 2 years, it will turn into genital warts, but genital warts are actually a harmless strain of the HPV virus. Genital warts, while annoying, possibly embarrassing, and incurable (but treatable), cannot cause cervical cancer because they are not the strain that can do so.

However, HPV in other strains can cause cervical cancer. Basically, what happens when a person contracts HPV is that the virus will get fought off by the body. If the body is unable to fight off the HPV virus, the virus will cause cells to deform in the body in either the form of genital warts (rarely throat warts) or to mutate into cancerous cells. It is entirely unsure whether the person who has contracted HPV will actually get cancer from the cells being deformed by the virus itself. The HPV virus can often take years to turn into cancer after being contracted, and genital warts can take weeks, months, or even years to show up as well after being contracted.

Genital warts can be passed from person to person, even if a person is not having an outbreak or has no warts present. The virus can still be passed, but the virus will not be cancercous, nor will it turn cancerous. Unfortunately, even if you have genital warts, you may still have another form of HPV as well because the HPV virus that caused genital warts is not the same as the one that can cause cervical cancer, so getting a pap smear twice a year is recommended if you have genital warts. Another strain of HPV may also be present.

Approximately 1% of sexually active people have genital warts. Every year, 12,000 cases of cervival cancer are diagnosed, with a grand majority of them being derived from an STD (HPV Is not the only STD that can cause cervical cancer). If you have genital warts, you do have HPV, but not the strain that can cause cervical cancer. But you can never be too sure- since HPV comes in many strains, you may have more than just genital warts. Making sure you alert your doctor to your concerns and getting regular pap smears can help you stay on top of any cells that may or may not become cancerous from another strain of HPV that is not genital warts. There is also an HPV vaccine that you may be able to receive. Talk to your healthcare provider.

note: genital warts do not cause cervical cancer or other cancers, and also do not cause infertility in women. Very rarely, genital warts can be passed from the mother to her child during delivery, so if you have genital warts and are pregnant, make sure to alert your doctor so you can take preventative measures against passing the STD onto your baby.

Source:

http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm