Center for HPV Control, Diagnosis, and Treatment

The HPV Center at Arsbiomedica provides outpatient and Day Hospital gynecological care, offering patients an integrated solution for control and diagnostic-therapeutic management of all gynecological pathologies, among which the most significant in terms of frequency and risks is Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

HPV Infection

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a very common issue that many women (and men) contract at least once in their lifetime. While it is not usually severe, it should not be underestimated. Infections are generally asymptomatic and resolve spontaneously due to the host’s immune system activation in about 60-90% of cases within 1-2 years of infection. However, many human papillomaviruses (which target the skin and anogenital and oropharyngeal mucosa in both males and females) are considered high-risk, as they are associated with the onset of tumors such as cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal, penile, head, and neck cancers. High-risk papillomaviruses are indicated by the acronyms HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66… . This is why early diagnosis is crucial to prevent tumor development.

How HPV is Transmitted

The main transmission route is through sexual contact. It is estimated that up to 80% of sexually active women come into contact with the virus at least once in their lifetime, with around 50% of them having a high-risk genotype. Other transmission routes include direct skin-to-skin/mucosa-to-mucosa contact and vertical transmission from mother to fetus.

In Europe, approximately 50,000 new cases of HPV-related tumors are estimated each year, with more than 34,000 cases/year affecting the female cervix.

Globally, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women.

Discovering a positive result for the infection (presence of HPV virus) does NOT indicate illness, but rather the need to monitor and treat the infection in order to restore the organism’s health status.

Diagnostic Path

For younger women, during their routine gynecological check-up, a Pap smear is performed. Cervical cancer progresses very slowly, and numerous studies have shown that periodic monitoring, such as annual check-ups, provides an adequate interval for early diagnosis.

Research has demonstrated that the Pap smear remains the best test for women aged 25 to 29.

The Pap smear is a simple and painless examination that has significantly reduced mortality from cervical cancer and is performed using a swab.

The sample is examined under a microscope to detect any cell abnormalities.

For women aged 30 to 64, a specific test for HPV detection is performed, which becomes the most appropriate screening method from this age onwards.

In the event of a positive test result, it would be useful to undergo further examination called colposcopy, in order to better examine the cervix. This is a simple and painless procedure. If small lesions are detected, a tissue sample (targeted biopsy) may be taken for histological examination and thus a clinical diagnosis prior to any treatment.