Detection of Cervical-Uterine Cancer or Breast Cancer

Is it possible to prevent cervical cancer?

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus from the papovaviridae family, of which approximately 100 types infect humans and half of them are transmitted sexually. Some types of this virus are considered high-risk and as causative agents of cervical cancer. For this reason, a vaccine against the virus would provide protection against neoplasia. Although its creation posed some obstacles in past decades, recently two pharmaceutical companies have demonstrated that their experimental prophylactic vaccines are safe and effective. One of them consists of virus-like particles of HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, and the second one protects against types 16 and 18.

While the opportunity for cervical cancer diagnosis has improved in recent years due to the effectiveness of health systems promoting vaginal cytology (Pap smear), the prevalence of this disease remains high, according to data from INEGI, it still ranks among the top 20 causes of general mortality in Mexico.