Author(s)

Yuhao Wu, Yichun Zhang

Corresponding Author

Yichun Zhang

ABSTRACT

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most dangerous and prevailing viruses today and more than half a million people catch cancers induced by HPV every year. However, the mechanism of different cancers induced by HPV is still not clear. Generally, HPV has two major oncogenes E7 and E6 which can be expressed to force the cell to change the cell cycle. Once the normal cell cycle is changed and HPV takes control of it, HPV makes the cell replicate abnormally and finally become cancer cells, including cervical cancer, vaginal and vulvar cancers, and oropharyngeal cancer. The whole process can last for a very long time. This review mainly focuses on how HPV induces different kinds of cancers. Having a better understanding of the mechanism of HPV-inducing cancers would contribute to the research and development of new therapeutic methods.

KEYWORDS

Human papillomavirus (HPV), Mechanism, Cervical cancer, Vaginal and vulvar cancers, Oropharyngeal cancer