THRIVE HPV
What is HPV?
HPV stands for human papillomavirus. While HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, most infections are relatively harmless and are cleared by the immune system(17). Often, people infected with HPV don’t even know they have it. However, certain high-risk types of HPV are known to cause 95% of cervical cancer cases(55). There is currently a vaccine to prevent infections of high-risk HPV type strains(56). Please contact your family doctor if you are interested in getting this vaccine.
Why are we studying HPV?
HPV infections and cervical cancer
HPV infections and cervical cancer
HPV infections and cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women worldwide, with more than half a million women receiving a diagnosis each year(57). Over 170 types of HPV are known(15, 16), and at least 15 of them put women at a high risk for developing cervical cancer through infections in the genital tract, and are considered 'high risk’ strains(58).
Most people contract HPV
HPV infections and cervical cancer
HPV infections and cervical cancer
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, and most sexually active people will contract it—male or female(59). Usually, the immune system clears HPV(60), and an infected person has no symptoms. Some infections will lead to genital warts, but are caused by strains of HPV that don’t lead to cancer, or ‘low risk’ strains(58).
Burden of disease
HPV infections and cervical cancer
Multiple risk factors
Vaccination against HPV can be highly effective at preventing cervical cancer, and vaccination rates are increasing in adolescents in countries that recommend HPV vaccines during routine medical care(61, 62). However, adult vaccination rates are varied, and children under the age of 18 are nearly 5 times more likely to be vaccinated in Canada(62, 63). Unfortunately, vaccination does not help prevent cervical cancer in women who have already been infected with high risk HPV types, and the longer that HPV persists in the genital tract, the higher the risk of cervical cancer(64).
Multiple risk factors
Multiple risk factors
Multiple risk factors
A Pap test identifies abnormal cells on the cervix, and sometimes these cells progress to cervical cancer(65). The reason why is not fully understood, but we know that the immune system(66, 67) and environmental factors(68) contribute to cervical cancer progression.
Friend or foe
Multiple risk factors
Open questions
The composition of the microbiome influences how the body responds to infection, such as through inflammation(18). Certain types of microbes could protect against HPV infection, persistence, and clearance, while others may increase the risk of cervical cancer(19-22).
Open questions
Multiple risk factors
Open questions
The link between the vaginal microbiome, inflammation, and cervical cancer progression is an open question that we aim to answer in this study. Understanding how the microbiome impacts cervical cancer could lead to better treatments and preventative therapies.