Human papillomavirus as a predictor of cervical cancer in women of reproductive age (literature review)

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection and predominantly affects both female and male genitalia. Most HPV-associated infections are transient and asymptomatic, but in the presence of lesions with oncogenic HPV strains, they can lead to the development of cancer of the cervix, anus, penis, vagina and vulva. Women of reproductive age and adolescents are most susceptible to these diseases, and their cause may be excessive sexual activity with frequent changes of sexual partners and early onset of sexual activity. Due to the prevalence of this nosology in the population, as well as its complications in the form of oncological diseases, vaccine prophylaxis was developed, of the drugs registered in the Russian Federation, it is necessary to note recombinant quadrivalent and divalent vaccines against human papillomavirus, which can stimulate humoral immunity and the production of virus neutralizing antibodies, while reducing the number of new cases of infection and the number of cases.

The aim of the present study was to consider the human papillomavirus as a predictor of cervical cancer in women of reproductive age.

Results. Pathological changes in the cells of the cervix caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) are one of the most common causes of the development of preinvasive changes in this area. Preinvasive changes in the cervix (CIN) are dysplastic changes in its epithelium that can progress to invasive cervical cancer if they are untimely diagnosed and treated. It is worth noting that most types of cervical cancer develop in the transformation zone – the junction between the squamous cells of the ectocervix and the columnar glandular cells of the endocervical canal. Early infection with HR-HPV infections can disrupt the metaplastic changes occurring at this time in the transformation zone and increase the risk of developing cervical cancer in the future. About 80–90% of cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 10–20% are adenocarcinomas, and the percentage of the latter has been increasing in recent years. Sometimes cervical cancer has signs of both types and is called adenosquamous or mixed carcinoma.

Conclusion. HPV infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, which can cause the development of various diseases, including cervical cancer. In this regard, the development and implementation of vaccines against HPV infection is an important task in the field of public health, as they are able to stimulate humoral immunity and the production of virus neutralizing antibodies.

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