Do you know about the HPV virus (Human papillomavirus) and cervical cancer?

The HPV virus, or Human papillomavirus, is the main cause of the most common cervical cancer. There are more than 200 strains of HPV, some of which can cause abnormalities in the skin, genitals, and throat, potentially leading to cancer. HPV can be transmitted through sexual intercourse or by touching infected areas. Although condoms can help prevent HPV infection, they do not provide complete protection as they do not cover all areas of the genital skin.

     Almost all sexually active individuals will become infected at some point in their lives, often without showing symptoms, and can clear the infection on their own without treatment. However, if the body is unable to develop immunity to eliminate the virus and the infection persists for a long time, the infected cells can undergo changes and potentially become cancerous. Typically, it takes 15-20 years for this to develop into cancer after an HPV infection.

 Information from the Department of Medical Sciences indicates that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Thai women, following breast cancer, but it has the highest mortality rate. Additionally, each year, Thailand sees approximately 9,999 new cases of cervical cancer, and it is projected that by the year 2025, the number of new cases will increase by 13,082 each year. However, if lesions are detected or patients are found in the early stages, it is possible to prevent and cure the disease completely.

     Currently, the National Health Security Office (NHSO) is inviting Thai women to utilize their benefits for cervical cancer screening once every 5 years using the HPV DNA Test, which is available to everyone if they belong to the following groups:

1. Thai women aged 30-59 years

2. Thai women aged 15-29 who are at high risk, such as having multiple partners, engaging in sexual activity at a young age, or having unprotected sex, etc.

If the test results show no infection, the individual will enter the screening process every 5 years. In the case of a positive result, a confirmatory test will be conducted, and the individual will proceed to the treatment process.

Source:

WHO. (5 March 2024). Human papillomavirus and cancer.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/human-papilloma-virus-and-cancer

บัลลังก์ อุปพงษ์. (4 ธันวาคม 2566). การตรวจคัดกรองมะเร็งปากมดลูกด้วยวิธี HPV DNA Test แยก 14 สายพันธุ์ความเสี่ยงสูง.

https://nih.dmsc.moph.go.th/data/data/KM/67/KMNIH/1/1.pdf

by Aunyarat Techanan