Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is one of the most widespread sexually transmitted diseases in existence. While the number of specific cases are difficult to track – in most cases the HPV virus has no symptoms – some estimates suggest that 50% of the population has contracted or will contract this virus. For women in particular, that number can go as high as 80%.
With the recent advent of the HPV vaccine, however, we are likely to see those numbers begin a steady decline among women. This is wonderful news for those not yet infected, but women all over the country who have already contracted the chronic version of the virus continue to live under the specter of possible cervical cancer. They must be even more vigilant than most when it comes to annual gynecological exams, and are more likely to have to undergo procedures like cryosurgery or cervical LEEP due to increased instances of cervical dysplasia (abnormal, precancerous cells in the cervix).
A new study, though, could indicate future hope for these women. Researchers developing a new strain of HPV vaccine combined the vaccine with a mild electrical shock at the injection site. The use of this combination treatment was intended to increase the vaccine’s effectiveness, but it had an additional, unanticipated reaction. The cells the women’s bodies produced were able to attack and destroy cells infected with HPV.
Researchers hope this breakthrough can lead to a treatment for women with chronic HPV, and are planning to investigate the possibilities even further. There is even some indication that the vaccine could be adapted to destroy the abnormal cells in cervical dysplasia, eliminating the need for invasive procedures that remove the cells, but may also increase a woman’s chance of miscarriage in the future.
The study itself appears in the most recent edition of the medical journal Science Translational Medicine, and it seems that the researchers are already preparing to study the vaccine’s potential as a treatment for cervical dyplasia. There are even indications that the treatment could be modified for other types of cancer in the future, specifically some cancers of the neck and head.
If you are part of the large majority of women who contracted the virus before a vaccine was available, make sure to keep current with your annual Pap smear and gynecological exam. If you do not have HPV and are sexually active, contact our office and schedule an appointment to get vaccinated.
