HPV has a new powerful vaccine to eradicate the disease. Learn about the benefits and disadvantages.

HPV (human papillomavirus) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide. However, there is currently a vaccine that, according to scientific studies, has generated very good results.

Human papillomaviruses relate a group of more than 200 viruses. In addition, some of these viruses are transmitted through vaginal, anal or oral sexual relations.

There are two groups of sexually transmitted human papillomavirus: low risk and high risk.

Low risk viruses are related to benign lesions, such as warts and low-grade lesions, and very rarely cause cancer.

High risk viruses cause several types of cancer. There are about 12 types of human papillomavirus.

Types of cancer caused by the infection?

  • Anal cancer.
  • Cervix.
  • Penile cancer.
  • Oropharyngeal cancer.
  • Vaginal and vulvar cancer.

HPV diagnoses

To diagnose the human papillomavirus, screening tests are performed: these are procedures that serve to detect a disease or condition when there are no symptoms.

  • Cervical cancer screening tests.
  • Test for anal cancer screening.
  • Oropharyngeal cancer screening tests, also called throat cancer.
  • Test for vaginal and vulvar cancer screening.

Who can get infected?

In general, most people who have sex are exposed to HPV.

How to prevent the virus?

Prevention is a fundamental step in the fight against the Human Papillomavirus. Among the actions to take we have:

  • Correct use of the condom reduces the probability of transmission. But it does not prevent it completely.
  • The vaccine provides protection against various strains of HPV.

What does the vaccine prevent?

The HPV vaccine prevents infections by the types of HPV that cause infections. In this way, it prevents many cancers and cases of genital warts.

Learn how it is transmitted.

The transmission of the infection originates during sexual relations. Due to any intimate skin-to-skin contact, meaning in all its forms.

The recommended age to receive the vaccine:

Vaccination is recommended from 11 or 12 years of age, in girls and boys. Although it is feasible to give it at 9 years of age.

Currently, clinical studies are of utmost importance to indicate how to prevent, diagnose and treat cancers caused by the infection.

Mexican researcher Dr. Eva Ramón Gallegos, together with a group of researchers from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), managed to eliminate the Human Papillomavirus in 29 women by 100%, patients from Mexico City who suffered from it. Certainly, it is a historical fact of great relevance for medicine, in the fight against this infection.

Dr. Eva Ramón Gallegos is a specialist in nanobiotechnology and biomedical sciences, she discovered that certain women produce organic compounds that enhance the effectiveness of treatments. This advance has opened new possibilities for scientists. In this way, it allows them to study different alternatives to eliminate this virus that causes many deaths.

Researcher Gallegos has led more than 18 research projects, author of 53 publications indexed in scientific journals. She also received 11 national and international awards and received recognition for her contribution to science such as the Medal of Merit in Sciences in Technology and the Research Award. Throughout her career, Dr. Eva R. Gallegos has been an icon in molecular biotechnology and environmental cytopathology.

In terms of treatment to eliminate HPV, she has achieved a key breakthrough, her photodynamic therapy eliminated the Human Papillomavirus in 100% of patients without premalignant lesions and in 64.3% of those who already had lesions.

This means that an important achievement has been reached in the fight against cervical cancer and other harmful effects of HPV with a noninvasive technique.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT)

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment that uses special medications, sometimes called photosensitizing agents, together with light to kill cancer cells.

Depending on which part of the body has the condition, the photosensitizing agent is placed into the bloodstream through a vein or applied to the skin.

The treatment consists of applying a drug called “delta aminolevulinic acid” to the cervix. As a result, the substance becomes fluorescent through a chemical process and accumulates in damaged cells. Once these affected cells are identified, the structures impregnated with the substance are removed using a laser beam.

This treatment only eliminates damaged cells and does not affect healthy structures. Unlike others, this is why it is powerful in reducing the cause of death from cervical cancer.

Benefits and disadvantages of PDT

Studies have shown that PDT can be as effective as surgery or radiotherapy in treating certain types of cancers and pre-cancers. Some benefits of this treatment are:

  1. PDT does not cause side effects over time.
  2. It is noninvasive.
  3. The therapy is an outpatient procedure and is applied in a short time.
  4. It is a very precise therapy.
  5. PDT can be repeated many times in the same place if necessary.
  6. The therapy leaves no scar or only a very light scar.
  7. Low cost, compared to other cancer treatments..

Disadvantages:

  1. PDT can only treat areas where light can reach.
  2. It cannot be used to treat cancers that have spread.
  3. People who undergo treatment become very sensitive to light for some time.
  4. People who have certain blood diseases cannot receive the therapy.

Therefore, the new HPV vaccine is a powerful tool to protect against the virus and its serious complications. Remember to take preventive measures.

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Font:

https://www.cancer.gov/espanol/cancer/causas-prevencion/riesgo/germenes-infecciosos/vph-y-cancer

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus_del_papiloma_humano

https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2019/02/06/investigadores-mexicanos-eliminan-el-100-del-virus-del-papiloma-humano-con-tratamiento-de-fotodinamica

https://www.infobae.com/mexico/2025/01/26/que-es-el-vph-la-enfermedad-que-una-cientifica-mexicana-logro-eliminar-en-29-mujeres/

https://www.cancer.org/es/cancer/como-sobrellevar-el-cancer/tipos-de-tratamiento/radioterapia/terapia-fotodinamica.html#:~:text=de%20la%20PDT-,%C2%BFQu%C3%A9%20es%20la%20terapia%20fotodin%C3%A1mica%3F,por%20ciertos%20tipos%20de%20luz.