Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that is dangerous. Actually this type of cancer can be easily detected earlier, so that the prevention and treatment action can be done before it spread. Almost 99% of cervical cancer is caused by the infection of Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is very easy to spread; approximately three-quarters of people who ever do sexual activities can be infected. Only a small proportion of HPV infections can be chronic then develop into cancer.
Furthermore, the HPV virus that can cause cancer is the genital HPV types 16, 18, 31, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, and 58. But more than 70% of cervical cancer is caused by HPV types 16 and 18. HPV also cause anus and other genital related cancer.
The virus is transmitted primarily through sexual intercourse, including anal, oral, and by hand. Most of them are at age 15-30 years, commonly within a period of four years after first sexual intercourse. People who is infected with genital HPV usually does not know that she was infected, because these infections cause no symptoms at all (except HPV that cause the “chicken comb”), because the immune system on your body will attack the virus so it will be weak or become inactive.
Until now human papillomavirus infection can not be cured, but the immune system can cure 90% of them within 2 years. So, the virus become inactive, however an inactive virus still can be infectious to other people (if the physical endurance decreases). Moreover, the best way to prevent human papilloma virus infection (also to prevent any infection from other viruses) is to maintain body condition to stay healthy and fit with a balanced lifestyle: stop stress, avoid pollution, quit smoking, good consumption of nutritious, balanced diet, enough exercise, enough rest and etc. Sounds very classic but works!
HPV infection can also be prevented by vaccination. The vaccine is injected three times in the arm that able to protect us from the four types of HPV that cause cancer and the “chicken’s comb”, namely types 6, 11, 16, and 18, for four years. Vaccination should be given to the girls who have never done sexual activity.
Lastly, woman who has been infected with HPV should get the vaccination and conducts the pap smear test regularly. If the infector is not 6, 11, 16, and 18 virus type, then the vaccination is still worth. This examination is easy, inexpensive, and effective way to detect any abnormal cells due to HPV, such as pre-cancerous lesions and early-stage cancer. Cervical cancer that found in the early stages is more easily cured.
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