My ex-boyfriend contacted me recently and told me he got a spot on his genitals biopsied and tested to see if it was a wart. Apparently it came back positive for one of the "high-risk" strains of HPV (#16 I think?). We broke up about 6 months ago and he said he wasn't sure how long he had had it for as he just noticed it. It sounds like neither of us have had any sexual partners since we broke up (and I'll believe that anyway because it keeps me focused on my own health).
I have always had normal pap tests but have never had an HPV-DNA test done.
A couple of questions:
1. Should I get an HPV-DNA test in addition to my Pap test when I go to the doc, even if my pap test comes back normal? Is this necessary?
2. If the Pap test and HPV-DNA test come back normal, should I assume I am at a very low risk of developing cervical cancer (as WebMD says) and just keep on with the regular recommended Pap test schedule (I believe it is Paps every 3 years or every 5 years with co-HPV-DNA testing) or do I need to be put on a schedule of more frequent pap tests (annually?) as this may have been a recent exposure?
3. Is there a time period after last possible exposure when (if my HPV-DNA test comes back negative) I am in the "all-clear," (I realize it's never 100% certain) and can feel comfortable?
This link on WebMD is the one that says that getting a double-negative Pap + DNA test is 99.84% certain that cervical cancer will not develop within the next 3 years or more:
http://www.webmd.com/women/features/new-hpv-test?page=2
I'm not really in the business of trying pointing fingers here as I know how difficult this virus is to detect, I just want to be proactive about my health going forward and want to understand the best course of action.
Sorry for all of the questions, obviously I am worried.
Thanks everyone.