Among the many female cancer patients, a vast majority of those afflicted with breast cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, and vaginal cancer are due to HPV infection. The HPV virus has become the most harmful virus affecting women’s health today.
Even more frightening is that this virus is hard to prevent.
Clinical medical research indicates that HPV is mostly transmitted through sexual activities between spouses, and it is highly contagious. A single sexual encounter is sufficient for transmission to occur. Therefore, doctors advise women and men to take protective measures even during moments of pleasure.
Next, doctors will explain just how terrifying this virus can be.
Firstly, how terrifying is the HPV virus? The Chinese name for the HPV virus is Human Papillomavirus, which is prone to infecting epithelial tissues and cells. This virus is intriguing because it is widely present in humans and animals, but only infects and manifests in humans while peacefully coexisting in animals. It seems like this virus is naturally incompatible with humans.
Currently, it is known that HPV infection can cause excessive cell proliferation in the human body, ultimately leading to tumor formation. While most tumors are benign, HPV infection can also trigger the occurrence of warts disease, which doctors find more challenging to handle clinically compared to tumors.
For instance, pointed and moist warts growing around the male and female genitalia create an unpleasant sight, making it hard for observers to look at. In severe cases, patients may experience skin ulceration around the warts, with pus and foul-smelling discharge, and the prognosis is generally poor.
The HPV virus has a small diameter of only about 45-55 mm and is a type of small DNA virus. Investigations have found that individuals infected with Human Papillomavirus are mostly females with high sexual activity frequency in the 18-28 age group, with a decreasing trend in infection cases as age advances.
It is evident that the infection of this virus is closely related to open-mindedness and youthful impulsiveness. Fortunately, HPV is not as deeply invasive as HIV, and most HPV patients can clear the virus within half a year after infection, provided their immune system is strong enough.
However, many HPV patients are already at a high risk of HPV infection when diagnosed, making treatment very challenging and a significant clinical issue currently.
Secondly, exposing the entire process of HPV virus invasion in women. There are various ways in which HPV infection can occur, including saliva, blood, sexual contact, and even sharing towels with an HPV patient for a short period. This virus is highly resilient and extremely tiny, capable of penetrating our bodies through pores, making prevention difficult.
Once inside a woman’s body, the sole goal of the HPV virus from start to finish is to infect squamous epithelial cells, which are located at the cervix entrance in women.
After locating these cells, the HPV virus aggressively attacks them. Meanwhile, the body’s immune system is not idle, and with its efforts, most HPV viruses are eradicated. However, a small fraction of the virus may succeed in invading these cells.
The tainted squamous epithelial cells undergo mutation, becoming “cancer cells” that only know how to divide, causing havoc in the cervix and elsewhere in the body.
Over time, these cancer cells violently invade the basal membrane of the cervix entrance, leading to cervical cancer. Women with this cancer condition experience early symptoms like vaginal bleeding, pus discharge, and a substantial foul smell, often inducing nausea.
If cervical cancer progresses to an advanced stage, it can result in conditions such as kidney failure, uremia, multi-organ failure, making cervical cancer a disease that women must prevent.
These cancer cells won’t remain confined to one area; they will travel to any part of the body through the bloodstream and can often cause bladder cancer, rectal cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, and more.
Men should not assume they are immune to the consequences. Post-HPV infection, men may develop penile cancer or bladder cancer, with severe cases even requiring penectomy.
Thus, everyone has a responsibility to prevent HPV infection, and regret should not be entertained only after the virus strikes.
Thirdly, how to prevent these dreadful viruses?
While the HPV virus is frightening, prevention is possible.
1. Maintain personal hygiene. The first step in preventing HPV infection is to protect oneself and avoid engaging in high-risk sexual activities. Doctors advise friends to have a stable partner, use condoms, not to share towels when staying in hotels, carry their towels and pillowcases, and avoid sleeping naked on hotel beds, as you can imagine how dirty these beds might be.
2. Vaccination. Currently, the most effective method to prevent HPV is through HPV vaccinations, available in two-valent, four-valent, and nine-valent versions. The higher the number, the more types of HPV strains it can prevent, but there are strict age restrictions.
Doctors recommend that females around 15 years of age can schedule HPV vaccination at local community hospitals, which not only prevents HPV infection but also the occurrence of breast cancer, cervical cancer, and uterine cancer.
3. Regular check-ups. HPV is not very cunning, so hospitals have the technical means to detect and eliminate it in the early stages of infection before it progresses to high-risk HPV, which is challenging to treat. Early detection and treatment are crucial.
