Most people know that left untreated, STDs can continue to cause itching, discharge, unpleasant odours and can lead to both male and female infertility. Some STDs can also cause cancer.
New Research published today shows that it is not just the HPV (associated with Genital Warts) that can cause cancer of the cervix, anus, vagina, penis, head and neck (see our blog on the 18 November 2011), but Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C can also cause liver cancer. Having Hepatitis B can make you one hundred times more likely to develop liver cancer than someone who does not.
The viruses are spread through shared bodily fluids so you do not even have to have penetrative sex to transmit the infection. Sharing needles can also transmit the virus.
Help is at hand, as if you know you have Hepatitis B and/or C there are drugs available to help keep them under control and prevent liver cancer. The only way to be sure is to be tested. Better2Know can provide you with a confidential STD test starting from just ten days after your exposure (our Early Detection Screen for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV). You do not have to give your real name, and your results will not go on your medical record.