Summer sunshine can easily induce cervical cancer

　　Researchers track nearly a million people in southern Netherlands Uterus Pap smear data show that women are twice as likely to be infected with the human papilloma virus (HPV) in August, when the sun is brighter, than in the darker winter months.

　　HPV is most commonly caused by sexual intercourse disease , and the Pap smear test is commonly used to screen children around the world. cervical cancer method. Most women infected with HPV will not develop cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is only a minor complication of HPV infection. Among 230 cases of HPV infection, only 20 cases were considered to be in the high-risk group.

　　The probability of HPV infection is higher in months with sufficient sunshine?

　　In this study, researchers looked at seasonal changes in HPV infection, collecting data from 920,359 Pap smear tests from 1983 to 1998, and compared them with differences in sunlight exposure. The results showed that the number of people infected with HPV in August was twice as high as in the lowest month, and the rate of HPV infection was closely related to the degree of sun exposure.

　　Hrushesky, a researcher at the University of Southern California, said that the stronger the sunshine, the higher the HPV infection rate. Surprisingly, there is no correlation between HPV infection rate and sexual behavior. The study, which examined three centuries of birth data in the Netherlands, found that pregnancy rates were highest in the spring, but HPV infection rates were highest four months later. This result led the researchers to suspect that sun exposure may be related to HPV infection rates.

　　Previous research has shown that exposure to ultraviolet rays can have adverse effects on the immune system because ultraviolet rays interfere with the production of disease-fighting T cells, reducing the body's natural ability to fight disease. Hrushesky said seasonal changes in sunlight may make the body more susceptible to HPV infection, even if cervical cells are not directly exposed to sunlight. Sun exposure and changes in immunity affected by sunlight may make cervical cells more susceptible to HPV infection. In addition, Hrushesky also said that the virus will be activated by ultraviolet light, making HPV more infectious.

　　in the united states cancer During a discussion at the research association's annual meeting, Dr. DuBois said the correlation between sunlight exposure and HPV deserves further study. He believes that this is a complex biological and behavioral situation. He pointed out that we know that the amount of sunlight exposure can affect people's mood and behavior, and thus affect some subsequent conditions. All conditions that are exposed to the environment are important because these conditions may affect our cancer incidence.