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Home > Services and Procedures > Gynecology > HPV Testing & Prevention
HPV Testing & Prevention

HPV Testing & Prevention

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test detects the presence of HPV, a virus that causes genital warts, abnormal cervical cells/abnormal Pap smears, or cervical cancer.  There exists more than 100 different types of HPV and some may increase the risk for cancer.  In addition, some forms of HPV produce genital warts, while others will show no symptoms but can subsequently lead to cancers of the vagina, cervix, vulva, and anus.HPV Testing and Prevention

HPV is contracted via sexual contact or activity.  The chances of becoming infected may be prevented or reduced by using latex condoms.  The HPV test is only possibly for women, as there is no test in existence for men that detects the virus.  However, like women, men can also be infected with HPV and transmit the virus to their sex partners.  Furthermore, there is no cure for HPV.  However, there is treatment available for the symptoms caused by the virus, such as genital warts, cervical cancer, and cervical changes.

The HPV test itself is typically done at the same time as the Pap test, a test that removes tissue from the cervix to check for any abnormalities, pre-cancerous, or cancerous cells.  The HPV test can be done using the same sample from the Pap test or by collecting a second separate sample from the cervix.  The results from a HPV test will come back as either negative or positive.  A negative test result means there were no types of HPV detected that cause cervical cancer; whereas a positive result means that the patient has a type of HPV that is linked to cervical cancer.  This does NOT mean the patient has cancer, but rather that cervical cancer could possibly develop in the future.  The physician will most likely recommend a follow-up test in six months to a year to see if the infection has cleared up on its own, or to check for signs of advancement to cervical cancer.  Depending on the test results and the severity of the situation, the physician may recommend a colposcopy, biopsy, removal of the abnormal cells, or a consultation with a specialist.  Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer in the United States due to these effective diagnostic tests.

Please contact our office to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced providers.