HHS for First Time Adds Viruses, Including HPV, to List of Cancer-Causing Agents

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 02 Feb 2005 - 9:00 PDT


HHS (USA) on Monday for the first time has added several viruses, including several strains of the sexually transmitted disease human papillomavirus that cause almost all cases of cervical cancer, to its list of known carcinogens, the… San Francisco Chronicle reports (Kay, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/1). The agency's "Report on Carcinogens," which is required to be updated every two years by a unit overseen by HHS, now includes 58 substances known to be cancer-causing agents and 188 substances "reasonably anticipated" to cause cancer in humans (Corbett Dooren, Wall Street Journal, 2/1). Although scientists previously were aware of the link between certain HPV strains and cervical cancer, HHS decided to add HPV to its list of carcinogens after the agency moved to expand the report's focus, which historically focused on occupational and environmental carcinogens, according to Dr. Christopher Portier, associate director of the National Toxicology Program, which prepared the report (Superville, AP/Chicago Tribune, 2/1). Dr. Joe McIlhaney, president of the Medical Institute for Sexual Health in Austin, Texas, said that it is "extremely significant" that HPV was added to the list because HPV is sexually transmitted and can be prevented, according to the Washington Times. He added, "This brings science into the whole area of prevention." According to the report, 20 million U.S. residents are infected with at least one strain of HPV, with 5.5 million new infections occurring each year. According to McIlhaney, 18 HPV strains are responsible for about 99% of cervical cancer cases in the United States (Howard Price, Washington Times, 2/1).

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