Cervical cancer is the second most common malignant disease in women globally, causing an estimated 290,000 deaths worldwide each year. In the United States, approximately 10,400 new cases will be diagnosed each year, and 3,700 women will die from the disease.
The main cause of cervical cancer is continuous infection with HPV, especially HPV 16 and 18, which are spread by sexual contact.
The virus also causes precancerous and benign cervical lesions and genital warts, and may be implicated in some anal and oral cancers.
An estimated 20 million men and women in the United States are infected with HPV, but for most, the virus shows no symptoms.
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