Genital Herpes May Increase Cervical Cancer Risk in Women with HPV

(12 Dec 2002)

Researchers have long known that women infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) are more likely than others to develop cervical cancer, and new findings suggest that the risk may increase when women have both HPV and genital herpes.

HPV is a common virus. Over 100 different types of HPV have been identified and each is known by a number. Each type affects certain parts of the body, for example HPV types 1,2 and 4 are associated with the common warts that can arise on the hands and feet. Types 6 and 11 can cause genital warts. Some HPV types, most commonly types 16 and 18, can lead to abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix (neck of the womb or uterus).

The study to investigate the role of herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), the virus that commonly causes genital herpes, on the risk of cervical cancer, was conducted in Thailand, the Philippines, Brazil, Spain and Columbia. Lead investigator, Dr Jennifer Smith from the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, found that women with HPV and genital herpes appeared between two and three times as likely to develop invasive cervical cancer as women who had HPV alone. These findings indicate that the virus that causes genital herpes 'might increase the risk that women with HPV progress to cancer', Dr Smith commented.

Dr Smith received the 2002 Elion Young Investigator Award for this work.

Dr Anders Strand commented on behalf of the IHA; "The HSV link to cervical cancer is an important new issue that needs further investigation. However, it is important that these findings are seen in context. Less than 7% of 40-year old women will have persistent high risk HPV infection, and only a few of these will be at risk of developing cervical dysplasia and even fewer will go onto the develop cervical cancer1. These preliminary results have to be confirmed by other studies in the future".

1. Population-based type-specific prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus infection in middle-aged Swedish Women. Ola Forslund, Anika Antonsson, Karin Edlund, Adrian J.C van den Brule, Bengt-Goran Hansson, Chris J.L.M. Meijer, Valter Ryd, Eva Rylander, Anders Strand, Goran Wadell, Joakim Dillner and Bo Johansson. J Med Virol. 2002 Apr;66(4):535-41.