Symptoms
There are more than 200 types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Genital HPV infections are very, very common. In fact, most people who have sex get the HPV at some point in their lives. Most people with HPV have no symptoms and feel totally fine, so they usually don’t even know they’re infected. Sometimes HPV can cause genital warts. Some types of HPV can cause cancer.
There isn’t a test for high-risk HPV in the vulva, penis, anus, or throat, and the HPV itself doesn’t have any symptoms. If it becomes cancer, then there may be some symptoms.
- Penile cancer — cancer of the penis — might show symptoms like changes in color or thickness of the skin of your penis, or a painful sore might show up on your penis.
- Anal cancer might cause anal bleeding, pain, itching, or discharge, or changes in bowel habits.
- Vulvar cancer — cancer of the vulva — might show symptoms like changes in color/thickness of the skin of your vulva. There may be chronic pain, itching, or there may be a lump.
- Throat cancer might cause a sore throat, consistent ear pain, constant coughing, pain or trouble swallowing or breathing, weight loss, or a lump or mass in your neck.
Treatment
There’s no cure for HPV, but there are plenty of things you can do to stay healthy and safe, and HPV is even preventable. There are vaccines that prevent that prevent some HPV types and the types that cause genital warts. Most of the time your body can fight off HPV before it causes any serious problems and before you’re even aware you have the infection. For the high-risk types of HPV that can eventually lead to cancer, finding abnormal cell changes through regular Pap tests and/or HPV tests is the best way you can prevent cervical cancer.
Resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/hpv
https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/hpv