Multiple sexual partners heighten risk of cervical cancer-linked HPV

Each additional lifetime sexual partner raises the probability of acquiring a high-risk strain of human papillomavirus (HPV) — closely associated with cervical cancer — by nearly 11%, according to expert findings. HPV is a prevalent sexually transmitted infection comprising over a hundred related viruses, some of which can lead to serious health complications.

During the presentation of the Defeat HPV study on Monday, community physician Dr. Ourlad Alzeus G. Tantengco said that the risk of acquiring high-risk HPV increases by 10.91% with each additional lifetime vaginal sex partner, and by 10.58% with each additional oral sex partner.

“Kung dalawa yung partner mo, then tumaas na ng 11%. Kapag nadagdagan ng isa, tataas na naman siya. So, pataas siya nang pataas as you increase your number of vaginal sex partners [So, if you’ve had two partners, then your risk has already increased by 11%. If you add one more, it will increase again. So, it keeps going up as you increase the number of your vaginal sex partners],” Mr. Tantengco said.

High-risk HPV types, such as 16, 18, and 52, are known to persist in the body longer than most common HPV genotypes and can increase a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer by about 9 times, Mr. Tantengco’s said, based on his earlier studies.

Meanwhile, for women who delay their sexual debut, the risk of acquiring high-risk HPV decreases by about 5.44% for each year of delay.

The World Health Organization recommends immunizing girls aged 9 to 14 years old with the HPV vaccine, ideally before their sexual debut, to ensure the vaccine’s optimal effectiveness.

Vaccines like the commonly available quadrivalent HPV vaccine can offer up to 95% protection against high-risk HPV types such as 16 and 18, and also provide protection against low-risk types 6 and 11.

Meanwhile, the more expensive nonavalent HPV vaccine offers broader protection by covering nine HPV types, adding types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 to those already included in the quadrivalent vaccine.

According to a 2022 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Philippines fell short of reaching even 33% coverage toward the target of vaccinating 90% of eligible girls with at least one dose of the HPV vaccine.

To expand the country’s HPV vaccine coverage, Mr. Tantengco said that local government units (LGUs) must demonstrate strong political will to bridge these vaccines to more women.

“Yung mga LGUs, may kapangyarihan sila to decide sa mga health programs na meron sila in their municipalities [LGUs have the authority to decide on the health programs they implement in their municipalities],” he said.

He added that if more LGUs have done it, others can probably do it as well. – Edg Adrian A. Eva