The term cancer refers to malignant, autonomous and unregulated cell growth, this growth leads to tumors, which can invade adjacent and distant parts of the body, destroy normal tissues and compete for nutrients and oxygen cell.
What is Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)?
The human papilloma virus, abbreviated as HPV is the causative agent of a common infection transmitted through sexual contact and skin contact.
More than 150 types of HPV that infect humans are known, about 40 infect the genital and 14 of them are considered high risk for developing cervical cancer. There are also some types of low-risk HPV that cause genital warts.
What is the association between HPV and cancer of the cervix?
It is known that persistent infection with high-risk HPV is necessary but not sufficient for the development of cervical cancer. However, it is necessary to clarify that infection with HPV is not equal to cancer. Most adults have been infected by HPV at some point in their lives; however, a large number of these infections go away by themselves. An HPV infection that does not go away can cause cervical cancer in some women. About 70% of cases of invasive cancer are attributable to high-risk HPV types 16 and 18.
D A T A
- In Mexico since 2006 cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women.
- In 2014, 3,063 new cases of malignant tumors of the cervix with an incidence rate of 6.08 per 100,000 population over 10 years were recorded. In women aged 25 years and over 4,056 deaths were recorded with a basic rate of 11.9 deaths per 100,000 women and an average age at death of 59.15 years.
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