Understanding the Link Between Genital Warts and HPV

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) infection in Canada, and around the world, with the highest risk group being teenagers and young adults. Even just twenty years ago young people didn't have access to the fabulous resources they have today regarding sex and STDs. The most significant step forward has been the push for both males and females to inform themselves about potentially dangerous and life-threatening diseases, such as HPV.

Women are fortunate in some ways that males are not on this issue since we already get tested for possible reproductive cancers as part of our annual check up. As stated in the opening, males don't have such testing done until something is wrong and by then, it may be too late. It's essential that young people inform themselves about HPV: understand what HPV is, how you can catch it and prevention measures.

About HPV:

The most important thing to know about HPV is that it is a virus. As with other sorts of viral infections, most HPV infections do clear up but left untreated, they can lead to more serious diseases, such as cancer. HPV is contracted through any form of sexual contact-genital, oral, anal, even hand to genital contact. It is easily acquired and can take only one encounter, even with a person who has no visible lesions, to become infected.

There are several categories of HPV, each with varying degrees of seriousness. Types 6 and 11 cause 90% of genital warts, which is the leading cause of cervical and other genital cancers. Other forms of the virus (Oral HPV 16) can cause head and neck squamous cell cancers (squamous cell carcinoma are reddened, scaly or plaque-like areas.), 90% of throat cancers (HPV 16), 90% of HPV-related anal cancer (HPV 16 and 18) and 60% of HPV-related penile cancers (HPV 16 and 18).

Around the world there is an estimated 23,000 new cases of penile cancer and 30,400 cases of anal cancer, 560,000 new cases of head and neck cancers and 250,000 deaths per year (worldwide)-two-thirds occurring in men.

More statistics and prevalence:

The scary part is that 75% of sexually active Canadians will have at least one HPV infection in their lifetime. Both men and women have an equal one in ten lifetime risk of developing genital warts. Where at least one person in a couple is infected with HPV, there's a 64% chance both will share one or more of the same types of the virus. Approximately 67% of people who have sexual contact with someone who is infected will develop the warts within three months.

What are genital warts?

They are cauliflower-like growths (meaning they can be single or grouped in a bunch, like cauliflower) varying in size from microscopic to centimeters. In women, they are often 'invisible' as they are internal and not detected until they have spread. In both sexes, the warts can last about 3 ½ months with treatment but because the warts are caused from a virus they can reoccur with in 25 to 67% of all cases within three months following treatment. Follow up monitoring with a physician, therefore, is highly recommended until there's confirmation they are gone.

This aggressive and highly contagious STD is believed to be one of the main causes of HPV-related cancers when left untreated. So, it's very important that treatment is sought as soon as they're detected and instructions in prevention included in treatment.

Treatment and Prevention:

The common treatments for removing the warts include burning, freezing, chemical treatments, immunotherapy and surgical procedures (such as laser). The worst part of the treatments, of course, is that they can be distressing, embarrassing, painful and uncomfortable for the patient. And depending on how far the warts have spread, the treatments can take anywhere from a few months to a year or more. Continued monitoring of the treatment site will be required due to the strong link between certain forms of the warts and the development of HPV-related cancers.

The best form of prevention against contracting HPV is abstinence. However, the next best thing is being in monogamous relationships and using a condom when any sexual contact is made. In females, having a yearly Pap test to check for any unusual cervical cells is excellent prevention. In males, requesting the inclusion of checking for unusual lesions or bumps as part of his yearly examination would also be wise. Although still controversial, the vaccine GARDASIL is also recommended for women and men for the prevention of the virus caused by HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 as well as genital warts caused by HPV type 6 and 11. (An Australian retrospective study assessed the impact of the National Vaccine Program with the quadrivalent PHV vaccine and found a significant drop in genital warts cases in the targeted female and heterosexual male populations.)

Conclusion:

In this day and age, it's still somewhat taboo to talk about STDs. Most of that is due to misinformation and misunderstanding. But talking about it bring information to these younger population and can literally save lives. I should know.

When I was 18, I was in what I thought was a monogamous relationship with my first boyfriend. As a result of one indiscretion on his part, he contracted a form of genital warts that had HPV. Long story short: by the time I figured out that something was very wrong, my warts had spread throughout my external and internal reproductive organs. After over a year of treatment to get rid of the warts, I was diagnosed with Stage II cervical cancer less than a year later. All of this could have been avoided had I been better informed and took necessary prevention matters. Today, I'm alive and cancer-free so I can share my story with others as a way to raise awareness.

I know now more than ever we go through things in life for a reason. I can't change what happened to me but I can use my experiences to help this powerful movement to bring STDs and HPV into light.Reach out, be open and, for God's sake, tell someone. You could save a life.