Monday May 12, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Human papillomavirus (HPV) is known to be a major risk factor for cervical cancer.  A study in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that male circumcision may reduce the infection of HPV in men and risk of cervical cancer in their sexual partners.

The study based on data from 1,913 couples of in one of seven case-control studies of cervical cancer in situ  and cervical cancer in five countries shows after adjustment for age at first intercourse, lifetime number of sexual partners, and other confounders, cir cumcised men were found 63% less likely to contract HPV infection than uncircumcised men.

Monogamous women whose male sexual partners had six or more sexual partners, but circumcised were found 58% less likely to develop cervical cancer than women whose partners were uncircumcised.

The study concluded "Male circumcision is associated with a reduced risk of penile HPV infection and, in the case of men with a history of multiple sexual partners, a reduced risk of cervical cancer in their current female partners."

Cervical cancer is relatively rare, compared with other types of gynecological cancers like breast cancer.  Women are more likely to die from a traffic incident.  

Cervical cancer is caused mainly by HPV.  HPV infection can be prevented using HPV vaccine.  But the vaccine in no way can guarantee that a vaccinated woman will be free of cervical cancer and she will still need to receive the conventional Pap Smear test for the diagnosis of the cancer. (David Liu)

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