Cervical Cancer :: Smoking increases cervical cancer risk & HPV

Women who smoke carry high levels of the hpv virus that associated with cervical cancer, and they are 27 times more likely to develop the most common form of cervical cancer, a new study show. The findings of the study are published in the November issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

The study by Swedish researchers involved data from Pap tests of more than 100,000 women and identified 499 with cervical cancer that had not extended beyond the outer layer of tissue. They matched them with 499 other women who were similar in age and other characteristics, but cancer-free.

Cervical cancer is a malignancy of the cervix. Worldwide, it is the second most common cancer of women.

It may present with vaginal bleeding but symptoms may be absent until the cancer is in advanced stages, which has made cervical cancer the focus of intense screening efforts utilizing the Pap smear.

Most scientific studies have found that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is responsible for >90% of the cases of cervical cancer.

There are 7 most common types of HPV – 16, 18, 31, 33, 42, 52 and 58. Types 16 and 18 being the most common cause of the cancer.

Treatment is with surgery (including local excision) in early stages and chemotherapy and radiotherapy in advanced stages of the disease.

An effective vaccine for the two most common strains of HPV has recently been licenced.


Leave a Comment