Re: virus: Human Papilloma Virus makes cervical cancer risk soar

From: Mermaid . (britannica@hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Jul 29 2002 - 21:59:34 MDT


Charming. Two men discussing Pap smears. As a member of the Vulva
Federation, I feel the need to drop my two cents. Bottomline: Safe sex. What
is HPV? Among several other things, it is also genital warts. Some other
types of HPV also facilitates abnormal cell growth in the cervix of the
woman. One can be a carrier without showing any external signs. For the sake
of good health, here are some facts for the curious girls/women here...as
well as for anyone who'd be interested.

1.Pap Smears = detection. Not prevention. HPV(and cancer causing HPV) can be
avoided only with safe sex. Cancer can be prevented (sometimes, not
always)with early detection through Pap Smears.

2.Once HPV enters the system, it will never get out.

3.The virus can reside in the system for several years and go undetected
except when it(the cancer causing virus)turns up in abnormal pap smears.

4.While abnormal Pap Smears can facilitate early detection of some types of
HPV infections leading to cervical cancer, practicing safe sex is the best
insurance.

5.Adolescents should refrain from engaging in sexual activities, esp
intercourse, until they understand sex and safe sex. However 'logical' the
statement, 'children are sexual too', might seem, sexuality can co-exist
with abstinence.

6.Condoms might provide *some* protection against the spread of HPV, but it
only delays infection. The virus can also be spread through oral sex as it
can turn up outside the condom...scrotum..anus..etc

7.While we are at it..let me also add that studies have shown that women who
smoke have twice the risk of contracting cervical cancer. Nicotine and other
tobacco components are known to turn up at high concentrations in cervical
secretions.

8.Immunity plays a big role in how HPV affects a person and how well they
respond to treatment.

9.Oral contraceptives also increase the chance of cervical cancer.(The Pill
is not a gift. Ponder a whole lot before slipping into the pill mode.
Personally, I support vasectomy or tubal ligation. Vasectomy is more
sensible as the male has more sperm than the female has eggs in one
lifetime. We bleed. They dont. Fuck'em. It would solve a lot of problems
with one snip, but that is a whole different topic)

10.A Pap Smear every year is suggested for women who are sexually active.
Once in three-five years is recommended if there has been no abnormal
results in the past. It is possible for a HPV infected mother to pass it on
to her child. Unless the Pap Smear turns abnormal, the procedure neednt be
repeated for any time period from one to three years. Since Pap Smears have
the tendency to turn abnormal when there are minor infections or
irritations, you would be called in for another Pap Smear to determine if
the cervical cells are normal. An abnormal result doesnt necessarily mean
the C word. However, the physican would be the best person to tell you how
often to have the test. Once in three months? Hmm..

11.False negative tests are common. This is when women are told they are ok
when smear tests show a cancer. False negative tests can be avoided only
with regular Pap Smears. If one hasnt had a Pap Smear in the
past...say..five years, the incidence of a false negative is high.

12.On the other hand, there are also false positives. Abnormal results can
be produced from anything to an irritation to a minor infection. Only to
ascertain early detection of cancer in the event of an abnormal
verdict(which is slow to spread, hence can be avoided) will a second Pap
Smear be conducted.

Misc info and opinions:

Cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina.

If one has never been sexually active, one probably doesnt need Pap Smears.

A speculum is inserted into the vagina to see the cervix. With a spatula,
the cervix is scrapped for cells which will be tested for any abnormality.

A Pap Smear is not painful. It is, however, very unpleasant. Dont be shy.
Tell everyone and be a bitch. Dont hold back. They didnt have to spread
their legs. You had to. On that day, everyone who wants to share your oxygen
is pondscum.

If you have trouble getting pregnant, it would be a good idea to test for
HPV.

Not all types of Human Papilloma Viruses(there are over 60)causes cervical
cancer.

It is a popular myth that there is less risk of a woman contracting cervical
cancer if she has sex with a circumcised man. Such rumours will be
enthusiastically and widely spread by haters-of-baby-foreskin. There are
other ways to torture men than by depriving them of their foreskin.
Circumcision is not one of them. Save the foreskins. They are tasty.

Finally, if you have to die, you have to die. It is all about one's attitude
towards life or death. One can quit smoking, stop having wild and wanton sex
and stop contributing to their physician's Beemer for Son Fund only to save
the last few miserable years when the body wont be obedient and the flesh
becomes weak. Or...one can live the sinful way and spend the rest of their
short lives paying through their noses for a decaying and rotting and
failing body. Either way, we are fucked the moment we are born. Lets just
get on with it.

and yea..one more thing...Educate yourself.

_________________________________________________________________
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sun Sep 22 2002 - 05:06:16 MDT