CytoReact Kit

Twenty-four million Americans may have the human papillomavirus (HPV), yet
more than 76 percent of women in the United States have never heard of this
sexually transmitted virus which causes virtually almost 100 percent of all
cervical cancers The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2008, 11,070
women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in the U.S. alone!

If a high-risk HPV infection is not cleared by the immune system, it can linger
for many years and turn abnormal cells into cancer over time. About 10% of
women with high-risk HPV on their cervix will develop long-lasting HPV
infections that put them at risk for cervical cancer. Similarly, when high-risk
HPV lingers and infects the cells of the penis, anus, vulva, or vagina, it can
cause cancer in those areas also. But these cancers are much less common
than cervical cancer, becouse the cervix defense system which depended on
local cell immune system has a hard time defending itself against HPV.

Key Points About HPV:
--- Overdiagnosis of HPV infection in cervical biopsies results in increased health care costs and
unnecessary surgical procedures. Despite increased predictive value of stringent diagnostic criteria,
significant number of patients diagnosed as having CIN 1/koilocytosis (34.0%) did not in fact have HPV
infection. Because most low-grade lesions spontaneously regress, patients with histological diagnosis of
CIN 1 or HPV infection should be observed for a period of several months before definitive ablative
treatment is undertaken.

--- HPV (human papillomavirus) is a common virus that infects only local skin and mucous membranes.

--- There are about 100 types of HPV. Approximately 30 of those are spread through genital contact
(typically sexual intercourse). Around 12 – called "low-risk" types of HPV – can cause genital warts. In
addition, there are approximately 15 "high-risk" types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.

--- It is estimated that 80 percent of all women – and 50 percent of men and women combined – will get
one or more types of "genital" HPV at some point in their lives.

--- Although risk factors such as "high-risk" types of HPV can contribute to your chance of developing
cervical cancer, the chance of risks are less than 0.5%. Fortunately, 95% of HPV infected cervical
diseases showed signs of regression since the body's local cell immune system fights off or suppresses
the HPV virus before signs of cancer begin to appear. Cervical cancer is only present when the infection
persists or immune malfunction causes cervical cells to progress into cancer cells.

--- It is important to get a regular Pap test even if you've been vaccinated. A Pap can identify abnormal
cells, and the CytoReact HPV L1 kit predict the HPV infection outcomes. Together, they help make sure
abnormal cells are diagnosed and treated correctly.