PAPILLOMAVIRUS:
Conoscerlo per combatterlo:

A differenza di tutti gli altri tumori, il cancro al collo dell'utero ha una causa certa: il
Papillomavirus Umano. Per questo è così importante informarsi sull'HPV per prevenirlo e combatterlo.
C'è da dire che nella maggior parte dei casi (70-90%) l'infezione è transitoria e guarisce spontaneamente, quindi il tumore non si sviluppa.
I dati sono comunque importanti e identificativi della situazione.
Ogni anno il cancro al collo dell'utero viene diagnosticato a circa 470.000 donne delle quali 33.500 in Europa e 3.500 solo in Italia. Circa la metà delle donne colpite dalla malattia, muore: 15.000 i decessi in Europa, 1.100 in Italia.
Per non parlare delle altre patologie: sono centinaia di migliaia le donne con condilomi genitali, lesioni precancerose, neoplasie anogenitali.
In Europa rappresenta la seconda causa di morte, dopo il cancro alla mammella, tra le donne in età compresa tra i 15 e i 44 anni. La prima nei Paesi in via di sviluppo, dove è il tumore femminile più frequente.
L’HPV si trasmette attraverso i rapporti sessuali e il preservativo non garantisce una sicurezza al 100% perché le zone colpite dal virus possono essere fuori dall’area protetta.

Anche in Italia è finalmente arrivato il vaccino contro l’HPV. Previene il cancro al collo dell’utero, le lesioni precancerose e i condilomi.
L’efficacia del vaccino è stata già provata su oltre 20.000 ragazze e donne in 33 Paesi in tutto il mondo.
Il vaccino costituisce quindi uno scudo protettivo che impedisce al Papillomavirus di entrare nell’organismo e in seguito di proliferare.
Ovviamente il vaccino non è terapeutico, ovvero non cura le lesioni o le infezioni già presenti.
In Italia sarà gratuito per le ragazze di 12 anni (ragazze che hanno compiuto 11 anni fino al compimento del dodicesimo anno di vita), mentre per tutte le altre è possibile acquistarlo in farmacia, dietro prescrizione medica.
e cercare aiuto nel dizionario.
A common sexually transmitted infection, human papillomavirus (HPV) has been linked to the development of cervical, anogenital, and head and neck cancers and genital warts. (2) Several randomized controlled trials have explored the efficacy and safety of two vaccines for primary prevention of infection by HPV types 16 and 18, those most commonly implicated in the development of cervical cancer. (3) An HPV vaccine, Gardasil, was approved in Canada in 2006, and a second vaccine, Cervarix, is undergoing Health Canada review. (4) Some unresolved questions about HPV vaccinations relate to the ideal age for immunization, duration of effect, immunization of women already infected, vaccination of males, implications for Papanicolaou (Pap) smear programs, barriers to uptake, need for monitoring and registries, cost effectiveness, and programs to ensure access for special populations.
PMID: 18062141 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Direction Risques Biologiques, Environnementaux et Occupationnels, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190, boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, Québec, Canada H2P 1E2. marc.steben@inspq.qc.ca
More than 120 different types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) have been isolated; >40 of these types infect the epithelial lining of the anogenital tract and other mucosal areas. In the majority of individuals, HPV infections are transient and asymptomatic with most new infections resolving within 2 years. Epidemiological data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey determined that the prevalence of HPV infection in a representative sample of women was highest in those aged 20-24 years (44.8%). HPV infection has been firmly established as the primary cause of cervical cancer. It is not clearly understood why HPV infections resolve in certain individuals and result in cervical intraepithelial neoplasias in others, but several factors are thought to play a role; including individual susceptibility, immune status and nutrition, endogenous and exogenous hormones, tobacco smoking, parity, co-infection with other sexually transmitted agents such as HIV, herpes simplex virus type 2 and Chlamydia trachomatis as well as viral characteristics such as HPV type, concomitant infection with other types, viral load, HPV variant and viral integration. Worldwide, pooled data from case-control studies indicated that HPV DNA could be detected in 99.7% of women with histologically confirmed squamous cell cervical cancer compared with 13.4% of control women. Both HPV infection and cervical cancer are associated with a substantial economic burden. Pharmacoeconomic data from the United States indicate that HPV infection and HIV were associated with similar total direct medical costs, and HPV infection was more costly than genital herpes and hepatitis B combined in the 15-25 age group. Furthermore, false-negative pap smears from women with precancerous lesions are among the most frequent reasons for medical malpractice litigation in the United States.
PMID: 17938014 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA. spitzm01@hotmail.com
In the US, reductions in cervical cancer-related mortality over the past five decades can be attributed to the implementation of screening programs. US-based guidelines recommend that screening should be initiated approximately 3 years after initiation of sexual intercourse, but no later than age 21 years and be continued at least until age 65 or 70. Annual screening is recommended by the American Cancer Society and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, although in women aged > or =30 years with > or =3 negative Pap tests, screening may be conducted every 2 to 3 years. Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and most US guidelines say that it is reasonable to consider HPV testing, in combination with triennial cytology screening. Pharmacoeconomic analyses indicate that combined cytology and HPV testing every three years in women aged > or =30 years is comparable in sensitivity to annual liquid-based cytology for the detection of cervical cancer precursors and is more cost-effective. Both surgical and nonsurgical therapies are commonly employed in patients with HPV lesions although papilloma recurrence is not uncommon. Treatment should be individualized based on the extent of disease and the needs of the patient. Current treatment of cervical cancer reflects the stage of the disease and should take into account patient- and tumor-related factors to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
PMID: 17938012 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]












