Certain strains of human papilloma virus or HPV are known to cause cervical cancer.  Treatment thus far has focused on a vaccine to prevent infection and if and when detected to follow women with pap smears. If pre-cancer or cancer develops there are a variety of procedures performed to remove abnormal cells.

 

What if there was a cure for HPV?

 

It looks like there is a cure. In fact there are two potential cures. One is natural and the other is a drug used to treat HIV.

 

The drug used to treat HIV is called Lopinavir. Two British physicians in Kenya treated 40 women with high-grade cancer and pre-cancerous disease of the cervix.  The drug was dispersed using a pessary. They were also treated with one capsule twice daily for two weeks.  Repeat pap smears at three months showed that 23 women diagnosed with cancer had returned to normal and two had low-grade disease resulting in a 91.2% response rate.  The women initially diagnosed with low-grade disease had a similar outcome.

 

The results of this study have many implications. A fair number of women especially in the US endure multiple procedures and exams every year along with a tremendous amount of anxiety related to having pre-cancer and the potential of it becoming cancerous. This medication may help these women as well as offering a cure for cervical cancer a disease that kills 290,000 women worldwide.  We also know that HPV can cause head and neck as well as rectal cancer.  It is possible that Lopinavir may be a reasonable treatment for these as well.

 

The Natural Treatment

 

 

Curcumin is a component of the spice turmeric.  It has both anti-inflammatory as well as anti-viral properties. Researchers have found that when it is used as a vaginal cream, it eradicates HPV.  The cream has no side effects but it may not affect abnormal cells that have spread to the uterus and ovaries.  However, the research team is working on an intravenous preparation that may work.

 

Here in Medford, Oregon we have started a small study using compounded curcumin vaginal suppositories to treat women who have HPV and abnormal pap smears.

 

How wonderful it would be to prevent cancer and eradicate HPV using a natural compound without side effects. Whether treated with a drug or natural remedy, it is becoming clear that HPV related disease could soon become a thing of the past.

 

 

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”  ~Hippocrates