Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a prevalent disease worldwide. Consequences of HPV infection vary, depending on the infected individuals and the HPV genotype involved. Life-threatening consequences are not uncommon, and cervical cancer is a clear demonstration of the virus’s potency. While the incidence of cervical cancer is heavily concentrated on developing countries,¹ the impact of HPV-related diseases on developed countries has not ceased. In the United States alone, HPV infections are the most common sexually transmitted disease with an estimated 5 million new cases being diagnosed in 2000 among young adults, incurring nearly US$3 billion in terms of direct medical costs.² A multinational study involving 18,498 women showed that cervical HPV prevalence varied greatly geographically, ranging from the low of 1.6% in North Vietnam to the high of 27% in Nigeria. In general, HPV prevalence peaked among young, sexually active women and declined with age. In selected countries, however, a second peak was noted in women older than 55 years.³ The high prevalence of HPV-related diseases incurs a heavy burden on the healthcare systems of developed and developing countries alike, which renders HPV research and prevention a global public health imperative. On an individual level, the afflictions caused by HPV-related diseases go beyond that of physical suffering to affecting the psychological well-being of the infected. This is the focus of our paper.

Ovarian cancer is a major cause of mortality from malignancies in developed countries. It is the fourth and fifth most common cause of cancer death in women in the UK and US, respectively.^1,2 In Asia, ovarian cancer ranks fifth and sixth in cancer mortality in Singapore and Hong Kong, respectively. Ovarian cancers have vague symptoms such as abdominal discomfort or bloating, and there­fore the majority of the cases present at an advanced stage. A late diagnosis may be a major contributing factor in the overall poor prognosis. Stage I disease gives a relatively good 5-year survival of 85%, but this falls to about 15–30% for stage III and IV disease. Hence, ovarian screening has been proposed in order to improve early diagnosis of the disease and overall outcome. In this article, we will discuss: