The disease still carries a stigma. "While it's true certain sexual behaviors like having multiple partners does increase the risk of exposure, almost anyone can become infected with HPV," Dr. Robison says. "The infection sometimes lingers in the body, so even a woman who has been married and monogamous for 20 years can have HPV."
Cervical cancer can wreak havoc with a woman's sexuality and fertility. We asked Dr. Robison to clear up misconceptions about HPV infection, cervical cancer and how both can affect your health.
Who's most likely to get cervical cancer? What genetic or lifestyle factors put a woman at risk?
Cervical cancer is most often seen in middle-aged women, and the risk climbs as you get older. Smoking dramatically increases your risk, but when you quit smoking, your risk factors go back to normal.
There appears to be a slight genetic component, in that women who have two first-degree relatives with cervical cancer seem to have an elevated risk, but we haven't isolated a specific gene that shows a direct correlation like we've found with breast cancer.
The cause of the vast majority of cervical cancer cases is HPV infection, which is sexually transmitted.
How does sex affect your risk of getting an HPV infection?
The virus is most prevalent among people who have multiple partners and began having intercourse at an early age. But you can't protect against HPV as you can with other sexually transmitted diseases.
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