New York City, New York - October 24, 2011
For the first time scientists are linking the human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer, to another disease.
Two years ago, doctors told Michele Appel that she was infected with a strain of the human papillomarvirus that can cause cervical cancer. "Nobody wants to find out that they have cancer or that they're that close to having cancer," Appel said.
Now a new study of 25-hundred women shows a link between HPV and cardiovascular disease. "Women with the cancer causing strains had a two-fold increased risk for heart disease," said Dr. Nieca Goldberg with New York University's Langone Medical Center.
Researchers found an association even with women who didn't have other risk factors like high cholesterol, smoking or diabetes. Twenty percent of people with cardiovascular disease don't have traditional risk factors. Doctors hope pinpointing new causes will save lives. "We have to identify new risk markers and risk factors that can lead us to predict heart disease before people have heart attacks," Dr. Goldberg said.
Appel says she's in good heart health, but will pay closer attention from now on. "We know this -- it's something for myself to be on the lookout for," she said.
She's HPV free now and has regular checkups to stay healthy.
Randall Pinkston - CBS News
