What is HPV and how much does it cost?

Cervical cancer is a gynecological malignant tumor that seriously endangers women's physical and mental health. Since cervical cancer is the only preventable cancer with an established cause so far, the screening and prevention of cervical cancer is of great significance. In clinical medicine, HPV testing is a key new project for screening cervical cancer. So what is the HPV test and how much does it cost?

HPV is human papillomavirus infection.

At present, almost all clinical epidemiological data combined with laboratory data strongly support that persistent infection with high-risk HPV is a necessary condition for the occurrence of cervical cancer. Therefore, at this stage, all countries in the world adopt high-risk HPV screening as a screening for cervical cancer.

There are many types of HPV, and the general price is around 300 yuan. There are two testing methods for HPV: clinical diagnosis and quantitative analysis.

If screening shows a high-risk HPV infection, TCT and colposcopy are recommended to eliminate cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer.

Scientific research has confirmed that more than 90% of cervical cancer is related to HPV virus infection. HPV, also known as human papillomavirus, has more than 100 subtypes, which can be divided into high-risk and low-risk types according to whether they are carcinogenic. Among them, high-risk HPV may cause cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer, while low-risk HPV is not likely to cause cervical cancer.

In these 5 situations, HPV testing is recommended.

1. Excessive sexual indulgence, having multiple sexual partners, etc.

Studies have shown that HPV infection is mainly through sexual behavior, but of course this is not the only way. It is not difficult to see that any woman who has a married life is likely to be infected with the HPV virus through sexual intercourse. For women who indulge in excessive sexual activity and women who have multiple sexual partners, they should insist on doing an HPV test once a year to help screen for cervical cancer. In addition, women who have their first sexual intercourse at a young age, or who are in the early stages of pregnancy or multiple pregnancies should also undergo HPV testing.

2. After HPV vaccination

I believe many people know that HPV vaccination can prevent high-risk HPV infection. However, it should be noted that taking the HPV vaccine is not a permanent solution. Because no matter which HPV vaccine is taken, it cannot cover all carcinogens HPV. In simple terms, the HPV vaccine cannot prevent cervical cancer 100%. Therefore, even if you have received the HPV vaccine, you should still undergo regular HPV screening.

3. Currently receiving immunosuppressant therapy

Contemporary research shows that decreased body immunity is a key factor driving HPV infection. This is because when the body's immune system is low, it cannot eliminate the infected HPV immediately. For people with immune diseases, the drugs they take during the treatment with immunosuppressants will inhibit the proliferation and normal function of immune response-related cells such as T cells and B cells, thereby reducing the antigen immune response and increasing the risk of long-term HPV infection. It is recommended to do an HPV test when necessary.

4. HIV infection

Previous studies have shown that HIV infection increases the risk of HPV infection. In other words, people infected with HIV are at high risk and are advised to get an HPV test as soon as possible.

5. Before pregnancy

For women who are preparing for pregnancy, it is necessary to do an HPV test before pregnancy. Otherwise, if it is detected after pregnancy, it will be very bad for the fetus. If cervical precancerous lesions are found during a pre-pregnancy physical examination, seek treatment as soon as possible. When choosing a treatment plan, the doctor will take the woman's fertility needs into consideration and try to minimize the impact on her fertility.