HPV, human papilloma virus, is transmitted by sexual contact. The effects of HPV virus infection can be seen in both men and women.
The symptom of HPV virus infection in men is genital warts. In women, depending on the type of HPV virus transmitted, the effect of the virus infection can be seen as genital warts in the external genital areas, cervical cellular disorders (ascus, cin 1-2-3) detected by smear in the cervix, and cervical cancer in later periods.
When the HPV virus causes warts in women, its symptoms are observed early and easily. However, when infected with the types that cause cervical disease, the virus can be carried for many years without any symptoms. That's why I recommend women who have no complaints to have their routine annual check-ups and not to neglect their smear follow-up.
Symptoms such as foul-smelling discharge, cervical damage, wounds, and bleeding after intercourse may be symptoms of infection or damage caused by the HPV virus in the cervix.
In cases where a virus effect is detected in the cervix with a smear test, we have the chance to determine whether the transmitted virus type has a cancer-causing effect by virus typing.
Our classical knowledge is that the types of viruses that cause warts or cancer cannot be purified from the body after being infected and will persist.
Treatments are planned according to the effects of the virus. Treatment of genital warts is done by cauterizing or freezing the warts. Medical treatments can then be applied to prevent recurrence. Since the virus settles on the skin in the genital area, recurrences of warts may occur when the immune system is suppressed.
The management of HPV viruses transmitted to the cervix is planned according to the results of the smear test, and treatment and follow-up are carried out according to this result. Depending on the effects on the cervix, colposcopy, biopsy, leep conization or cold conization procedures may be performed in diagnosis and treatment. When cervical disease is detected, as long as we reveal the pathology with these procedures and confirm that the surgical margins are intact, we can have a disease-free and safe follow-up with 3-6 month smear follow-ups.
Most women who are diagnosed with HPV immediately fear that they have cancer. They apply to us. Due to incorrect and incomplete information, these concerns continue until they reach the right doctor. Cervical cancer, which is one of the late effects of HPV infection, can only happen to women who are unfollowed and careless.
Since the effects of the HPV virus and the progression of cervical diseases go through stages, its transformation into cervical cancer can take up to 8-10 years.
In the light of this information, the suggestions I would like to share with you are as follows;
- Even if you have no complaints, you should have a gynecological examination and smear test once a year.
- Not every foul-smelling discharge or vaginal bleeding indicates the presence of a virus or cervical cancer.
- However, when you have these complaints, you should be examined without neglecting it.
- Smear test is a life-saving screening test. Biopsy results are used when definitive diagnoses are detected and suspicious smear results are detected. Diagnosis, treatments and follow-ups are managed in the light of biopsy, that is, pathology results.
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