Is HPV infection alone enough to cause cervical cancer?
Dr. Lowy: Most people don’t develop cervical cancer after infection. Even an infection with high risk HPV-16 is usually a self-limiting infection. You get it and it goes away. Probably at least 80 percent of HPV-16 infections end up going away — maybe 90 percent. Somewhere between 10 to 20 percent of HPV-16 infections will be associated with some cytological abnormality. A smaller proportion will persist and go on to become cervical cancer. Besides exposure to HPV, what are other risk factors for cervical cancer? Dr. Lowy: The biggest clearly identified risk factor is immuno-suppression. Survivors of renal transplant, AIDS patients, and people with impaired cell-mediated immunity are at high risk of persistent HPV infection, high-grade dysplasia, and cervical cancer. Beyond that, there is epidemiologic evidence implicating smoking. It makes some sense because there are carcinogens in cigarette smoke that can be found in the vaginal tract. You published a paper in February 2001 in the
