Results: Among smokers, those who had tested positive for HPV-16 are 14.4 times more likely to have cervical cancer than those without infection.Women who continued to smoke even increased their chances of contracting cervical cancer.
While non-smokers were studied six times more likely to develop cancer if infected, smokers were more than 14 times more likely to have cancer in the nine years that had the virus, according to the study.
HPV, human papillomavirus, is much more dangerous in women who smoke, a Swedish study finds.
The results appear in the November issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
However, among non-smokers, those who had tested positive for HPV-16 were only six times more likely to have cervical cancer than non-smokers who do not have the infection. With high vs. low viral load of HPV-16 has no impact on this statistic.
Now, research suggests that women who smoke are more likely to get a pass if they are infected with this virus that are non-smoking.
On the basis of smears taken an average of nine years before the women developed cervical cancer, the researchers were able to tell if women had an HPV-16.
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The researchers suggest smoking may help HPV-16 grow faster – can be helpful in slowing down the immune response.
Among smokers, those who had a high viral load HPV-16 were 27 times more likely to have cervical cancer than those without infection.
They also suggest that smoking may accelerate the process by which HPV-16 causes cancer.