“Understanding HPV: How Infections Can Lead to Cancer and the Importance of Vaccination”

Liputan6.com, Jakarta – Part of the infection human papillomavirus (HPV) can heal by itself. That is what is thought to be the cause behind a person’s low willingness to do the HPV vaccine.

In fact, HPV infections that can heal without treatment do not apply to everyone. The National Cancer Institute says that HPV is a collection of more than 200 viruses that are spread through sexual activity.

So infection is very common. Most HPV infections are low risk and the human body can fight the virus on its own.

However, HPV can also survive in some people’s bodies. Moreover, it is not impossible that the virus will develop into cancer in the future, especially if you are infected with a severe virus.

Reviews on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website also added that the HPV virus is also actually responsible for at least 37,300 cases of cancer each year.

The journey of HPV before becoming cancer

Yasmin Lyons, assistant professor of gynecology at the Mays Cancer Center at the University of Texas Health Science Center, revealed how HPV travels before it can lead to cancer.

“HPV will initially cause precancerous changes in cells,” said Yasmin quoting her presentation on the website HealthTuesday (23/5/2023).

“Then over time if a person’s immune system cannot clear the HPV virus by itself, it can eventually cause changes to become cancerous in these cells,” he continued.

HPV itself is better known to cause cervical cancer. In addition, there are other types of cancer that can be caused by HPV.