For Cervical Cancer, Age Matters — Both the Woman's and Her HPV Infection's

Persistent HPV infection with carcinogenic HPV genotypes was associated with higher risk for CIN 2+; cytology screening was most beneficial in women 35 or older.

Not all high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections lead to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ (CIN 2+); most infections with carcinogenic HPV genotypes resolve within 2 years. In two studies, researchers assessed the effects of HPV genotype and persistence on the development of CIN 2+, and the effects of age at screening on cervical cancer risk.

In one study, researchers followed 2300 sexually active Costa Rican women (mean age, 40) for 9 to 21 months; 52% of women who were positive for ≥1 carcinogenic HPV genotype at baseline had cleared their infections within 1 year. Among women with persistent infections, HPV-16 was almost threefold more prevalent than HPV-18 (26% vs. 9%). Three-year cumulative risk for CIN 2+ was 17% in women wh…

Reviewing Author

Wendy S. Biggs, MD

For Cervical Cancer, Age Matters — Both the Woman's and Her HPV Infection's

Topics

Reviewing Author