Review
Oncogenic potential of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and its relation with cervical cancer
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* Corresponding author: Muhammad Idrees idreeskhan@cemb.edu.pk
- † Equal contributors
1 Division of Molecular Virology, National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road Lahore-53700, Pakistan
2 Center for Integrated Mountain Research, University of the Punjab New Campus Lahore-54590, Pakistan
Virology Journal 2011, 8:269 doi:10.1186/1743-422X-8-269
Published: 3 June 2011Abstract
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common cause of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer being the second most common cancer after lung cancer, affecting women of different age groups; has a prevalence of about 20% in young sexually active women. Among different types of HPV, HPV16 the major strain causing this cancer and is sexually transmitted had been unnoticed for decades. Keeping in mind the multiple risk factors related with cervical cancer such as early age sexual activities, teenage pregnancies, smoking, use of oral contraceptives, having multiple sex partners, hormone replacement therapies and various other unknown factors lead to the onset of the disease. Awareness for various diagnostic procedures such as Pap smears screening prove to be an effective way in eradicating the oncogenic potential of HPV.