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Medical Groups Disagree on HPV vs. Pap Tests For Cervical Cancer Prevention

Tara Block — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:05:00 PDT

Today several medical groups have released proposals on cervical cancer prevention, and while they agree on the current guidelines that recommend women 21 to 29 get Pap tests every three years instead of yearly, they disagree on HPV screenings.

The US Preventative Services Task Force says that women under 30 should not be using HPV tests alone or in combination with a Pap to screen for cervical cancer. Even though the HPV virus can lead to cervical cancer, in younger women it usually clears out on its own. And the government-run task force notes that "screening for HPV causes more false positive cancer results than the Pap smear alone."

While the task force isn't for HPV testing, the guidelines issued by the American Cancer Society, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and the American Society for Clinical Pathology say routine HPV tests should be an option along with Pap tests.

"The main difference is that, dating back to 2002, the American Cancer Society and several other organizations recommended that HPV testing, along with the Pap test, is a good option for screening women starting at age 30," says Debbie Saslow, the American Cancer Society's director of breast and gynecologic cancer.

Luckily, the groups are taking public comment before coming together with a final set of consistent guidelines in the next couple months. Let's hope they are less confusing than these initial proposals!

What do you think about the every-three-year Pap for cervical cancer? (Not to be confused with a yearly breast and pelvic checkup.) Doctors have and continue to push the yearly Pap, sometimes making it mandatory before getting a yearly birth control prescription. But whether it's gyno-suggested or not, are you still getting a yearly Pap test, or do you spread it out over every few years like the new recommendations say?

Law Gives Minors Right to Get HPV Shots Without Parental Consent

Tara Block — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:39:00 PDT

The sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV) has been in the news a lot lately. New research has found that through HPV transmissions, oral sex can cause throat cancer, and the ongoing debate about how young is too young to be vaccinated continues (there was even a fake SNL commercial about it). Now a law has passed in California that gives minors the right to obtain preventive treatment for STDs, including HPV immunizations, without parental consent.

Those who agree with the new law say young people who don't have a close relationship to their parents should be able to obtain preventative treatment without their permission. But those against the law point out that a 12-year-old doesn't have the critical thinking skills to weigh the pros and cons of certain vaccines. I'd have to say I see where both are coming from, and it seems risky to let minors make such big decisions alone. What do you think?

Oral Sex Linked to Throat Cancer

Annie Scudder — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:10:28 PDT

Oral sex might be the new smoking. New research has found that oral sex may cause more cases of throat cancer in men than smoking thanks to HPV transmissions. In 2004, HPV caused 2.6 cases of throat cancer per 100,000 people, compared to .8 cases per 100,000 people in 1998. At this rate, by 2020 HPV will result in more throat cancer in both men and women than cervical cancer.

What's making the rate go up? A higher rate of going down. Cancer researchers told the New York Times that younger people are having more oral sex because they think it's safer than intercourse. In addition to increasing awareness about the risks associated with oral sex, there may be another solution already available.

The HPV vaccines currently recommended for girls could probably help prevent throat cancer when given to boys. Vaccine companies would have to test the drugs for that purpose specifically, and then health professionals would have to convince parents to vaccinate their boys against HPV. But maybe that would be easier than it's been to vaccinate girls against a potentially deadly, yet common STD, since society doesn't have the same hang-ups with male sexuality.

SNL Imagines a Way to Vaccinate Little Girls Against HPV

Annie Scudder — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:10:49 PDT

The writers of Saturday Night Live's fake commercials have come up with a product that could end HPV: Lil Poundcake, a doll that administers the Gardasil vaccine to unsuspecting girls under the age of 10. Melissa McCarthy rocked her first hosting appearance this Saturday, but between watching the recent Emmy winner give it her all alongside Bridesmaid costar Kristen Wiig, we couldn't help but laugh at this vaccine-injecting doll. The spot channels recent debates and misinformation about the HPV vaccine, which can prevent cervical cancer, as some find it problematic to vaccinate young girls against an STD. Check it out.

DrSugar Answers: HPV Positive and Sexually Active

DrSugar — Tue, 03 May 2011 13:18:15 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's answering a question about preventing the spread of HPV.

Dear DrSugar,
I am sooooo scared about this. Just had a cervical biopsy and I just tested positive for HPV. I am in a severe panic. I probably gave it to my current boyfriend. Can we keep passing it back and forth to each other? I do not know what to do. So if I have HPV, will definitely get warts or not? Gosh I am paranoid; help me.
Worry Wart

First of all, I'm so glad you asked this question, since human papillomavirus (HPV) is so common. This question is the perfect springboard to discuss HPV and answer your questions specifically. To learn more about HPV, keep reading!

Why HPV Is Suddenly a Man's Problem, and What That Means For Women

Colleen Barrett — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:50:13 PST

HPV is a tricky STD. It's largely been considered a woman's problem, because its most well-known effect is cervical cancer in women. But suddenly, HPV in men is making headlines not only for causing oral cancer but also anal, penile, head, and neck cancer.

Last week I told you not to freak out, because only a few strains cause cancer, but with another headline today - 50 percent of men have HPV - it's hard not to be concerned. The problem is HPV is so complex, it's hard to portray the true risk: its symptoms range from nothing to a wart on a foot to genital warts to deadly cancer. I am staunchly against nonspecific, fear-based sex ed, but I don't want to be unrealistic about an STD that has the potential to do harm.

So why suddenly has HPV become a man's problem? Science did not just discover it causes mouth, throat, anal, and penile cancer - the National Cancer Institute cites a 2002 study for that fact - but suddenly it's everywhere. Why the media blitz?

In December, Merck, the manufacturer of the HPV vaccine Gardasil, got the FDA's blessing to market the vaccine for the prevention of anal cancer. This opened up a huge market of men, particularly gay men (even though you don't have to have anal sex to get anal cancer through HPV). So, yes, there's a pharmaceutical company behind the media push, but that doesn't mean it's not worth taking seriously. Because, even though the FDA agrees with the drug manufacturer, US health officials have not recommended the vaccine for boys and young men. The result? Doctors aren't ordering it for boys and young men, and patients don't know to ask.

When the vaccine came out in 2007, there was some initial fear that it would give young women a false sense of security, but the truth is it helps prevent four troublesome strains. Find out which below.

Taiwanese Animators Take On HPV and Oral Sex

Colleen Barrett — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:45:00 PST

This is exactly the type of fear-mongering PSA I predicted Monday when the news came out that one strand (out of 130) of HPV can be transmitted through oral sex and cause oral cancers: an attack on all HPV. But it's in Taiwanese, so it's kind of awesome. Especially when an old man's heart-shaped sunglasses turn into a 69. Besides, it's not technically a PSA, just a humor video by Next Media Animation.

The video does make a good point, anyway. HPV is not very well understood. Until now, it was basically considered a women's problem, because the only known cancer it caused was cervical, but men have mouths and throats, too. So, yes, absolutely, more research should be done. For all we know, watching porn too closely could transmit an HPV strand associated with brain cancer.

Oral Sex and Throat Cancer: The Real Risk

Colleen Barrett — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:45:18 PST

Oh, HPV. There are 130 types of you, but a few spiteful strains won't quit. While various lead to genital warts, only a few like HPV-16 and 18 can cause cervical cancer. Now researchers say HPV-16, transmitted through oral sex, can cause oral cancer. So HPV-16 is a monster, worse than 18, but there are still plenty of strains of HPV that don't cause cervical or oral cancer.

I'm not saying don't be safe, though 81 percent of you said you don't use condoms for oral sex. But since public health officials aren't hyperspecific about actual risk or transmission, it's easy to say "well, we're all screwed" or be completely paralyzed into total fear of all sex (I've seen it).

Here are the facts: about 64 percent of oropharynx cancers (the middle part of the throat) in the US are caused by one HPV strain (HPV-16) not by all HPV. The risk of oropharnyx cancer rises with the number of people someone's performed oral sex on, as is true for any other cancer-causing STD. The real takeaway here is that HPV-16 can cause not just cervical cancer but also oral, so we really should be talking about specific strains and not pinning it all on the very vague and common HPV.

Researchers say it's too soon to tell if the current HPV vaccine will prevent against oral cancer, but since it's targeting the same HPV strain many believe it will. This news shouldn't be used to terrify kids. Instead it should serve as a reminder that the HPV vaccine - one of the many services Planned Parenthood provides besides abortion - is important, and that while oral cancer is not rampant, oral sex does come with risk.

Do You Talk Sex With Your Mom?

TresSugar — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 05:00:32 PST

A study came out that found young women who chatted with their mothers about the HPV vaccine were more likely to get it than those who didn't. While there are other factors involved, including the cost of the three-shot preventative procedure, it does bring up the issue of how our relationships with our mothers affect our decisions and behaviors, even as young adults and beyond.

We always see the PSAs on parents talking with their children and teens about the dangers of drugs, drunk driving, and unprotected sex, but what happens when you grow up? Once you reached adulthood, did you find discussions about hot topics like sex with your mom easier or more difficult? Maybe when you were young it was easier since it was more hypothetical, and now neither of you wants the visuals associated with knowing each other's sex lives. Or maybe you have an open relationship with your mom, so discussing issues like STDs and safe sex is the norm.

With all the communication hurdles that can exist in mother-daughter relationships, like popularity, weight, and dating, is sex one of them?

Group Therapy: Should I Date a Guy With HPV?

Tres Community — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 06:00:17 PST

This question comes from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I am a smart, healthy 25-year-old female, who has been vaccinated (gardisil) for HPV, has never had an STD, and gets paps regularly. I am considering dating a guy who has told me that he just found out he has HPV. I've researched and can't seem to find an answer, so I'm hoping someone here might have a word of advice.

In my research I found that the vaccination I had only protects against 4 types of HPV and there are about 90 types. I also discovered it's transferred just by contact, even if there isn't intercourse, therefore, that condoms can't be trusted for preventing contraction of HPV. Then I learned that an estimated 75-80% of people will contract it at some point in their life. I don't want to get HPV or be unsafe. I think my gut is telling me not to continue on with this guy because of this (and because if I am going to be in a relationship, sex is going to need to be a part of it). What do you think? I am over-thinking this? Should I just avoid the situation all together? I'm honestly really hoping for some responses! Thanks!

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it, anonymously, to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.