HPV and cancer of the cervix  - Some 200 known HPV that can infect humans. Some of these viruses affect the skin, mucous membranes of other oral, anal or genital. The consequences of these infections are most often benign - skin warts, anogenital warts. But some HPV transmitted sexually cause cancer of the cervix.

The last real public health problem, is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. In addition, HPV can be detected in the skin and mucous membranes of most of the non-patient population where the virus remains at low level by a mechanism not pathological.

Epidemiology - The human papillomavirus, or HPV infect the epithelial cells of the skin or mucous membranes, and are transmitted by the spread of these cells during desquamation. We distinguish between low-risk HPV, agents benign lesions of high-risk HPV that are responsible for cancer. HPV affect the genital mucosa are transmitted through sexual contact and are frequent, this early in the sexual life as they are detected in 1 / 3 of women between adolescence and early twenties.

The infections they cause, if they are common throughout adult life in women sexually active, and often disappear spontaneously without clinical sign. But the infection will persist in 3 to 10% of infected women, and some among them will develop precancerous lesions called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia epithelium is a precursor of cancer of the cervix uteri. Several years may elapse between the onset of infection with oncogenic HPV and the appearance of such a cancer.

A dozen of HPV can cause cancer of the first to be recognized by WHO as being 100% due to a viral infection, but most frequently involved are the HPV16 (involved in 55% of cases) and HPV18 (12% of cases). The HPV oncogenes can also affect other mucous membranes and cause cancers including ano-rectal or oropharyngeal.

Globally, cancer of the cervix accounts for approximately 250 000 to 300 000 deaths and 500 000 new cases per year (80% in developing countries) from the International Center for Research on Cancer. In Europe, nearly 65 000 women are affected, and about 25 000 new cases are reported each year, with a mortality of 4.7%. In France, there were 3,000 cases each year, more than 1,000 deaths, and a diagnosis of cervical neoplasia or high-grade cancer is raised each year in 50 000 women.

Treatment  - The current treatment of precancerous lesions is usually surgery (cone biopsy). The cervical cancer it is treated by a combination of surgery and radiotherapy with adjuvant chemotherapy, effective in early stages. Therapeutic vaccine that would treat precancerous lesions and cancers of the cervix caused by HPV16 and / or HPV18 are in clinical trials.

Prevention  - Currently, prevention of cervical cancer of the uterus through the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (condoms, tests for the partner) and above the routine cervical smears in women. A prophylactic vaccine that protects against infection with HPV16 and 18, thus preventing 2 / 3 of cancers of the cervix, is currently available. This vaccine has no therapeutic effect and does not protect women infected. The opinion rendered March 9, 2007 by the Technical Committee on Vaccinations and the Higher Council of Public Hygiene of France, it is recommended to vaccinate girls aged 14 to protect them before they are infected. The vaccine is also available for young women 15 to 23 years have not had sex or sexuality that began in the year.