How to lower your cancer risk if you have HPV

You’ve received a call from your doctor with a new diagnosis: You have HPV.

Now what?

If you tested positive for human papillomavirus (HPV), first things first: Take a deep breath. HPV is a common virus (in fact, 80% of sexually active people will contract HPV during their lifetimes) and being diagnosed with HPV does not necessarily mean you will get cancer.

What it does mean is that your risk for the following types of cancers increase: Anal, cervical, penile, vaginal, or vulvar cancers, as well as oropharyngeal cancer (cancer of the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and the tonsils).

But there’s no need to panic. Knowledge is power and there are steps you can take to support your health and stay ahead of cancer.

Here’s what to do if you get a positive HPV diagnosis:

1. Know your diagnosis. There are many strains of HPV, categorized into low-risk HPV and high-risk HPV.
Low-risk HPV will go away when your body builds immunity, usually within two years. It won’t cause cancer, but you could experience symptoms such as warts on the genitals, anus or mouth.

On the other hand, some strains of high-risk HPV can lead to cancer. It doesn’t mean it definitely will—the immune system is usually able to suppress even high-risk strains of HPV, so not everyone develops cancer, but your risk of cancer is higher than average. Talk to your health care provider if you have any questions about your diagnosis.

2. Stay on top of your appointments. Because there are different strains of HPV, everyone’s next steps will look different. Your health care provider will walk you through your options. You may have to get screened for cervical cancer more often or have other tests, like a colposcopy or biopsy, to look for signs of cervical cancer.

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Even if you have years of normal appointments or screenings, don’t stop going. HPV can come back after being dormant for years, so it’s important to stay on top of things for the long haul.

3. Keep getting your routine cancer screenings. If you were assigned female at birth, keep going to your routine OB-GYN appointments for a Pap test and/or HPV test (unless your health care provider tells you differently).

For anyone with HPV, make sure you tell your dentist t your six-month dental appointment., Your dentist will check for 口腔がん, which can also be caused by HPV.

Those are the only routine cancer screenings that can detect HPV-related cancers, but make sure you’re getting your other routine screenings, too. Plus, going to an annual physical with a primary care provider is a great way to address questions and issues you have on a routine basis.

4. Get the HPV vaccine if you haven’t already. In some cases, you can still get vaccinated after testing positive for HPV. Ask your health care provider if it’s right for you.

5. Practice “safer sex.” HPV is very common, and you may contract it even if you’ve been practicing safer sex (the precautions you take to reduce the risk of STIs). Make sure you are using a condom the right way every time you have sex to help protect yourself.

Remember, everyone’s situation is different. Talking to a health care provider will provide you with a personal plan for treating symptoms and preventing cancer.

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