Bio
She has developed and directs the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Research Group, originally at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth Medical School, in which work on all aspects of HPV associated diseases, specifically cervical cancer prevention, is conducted both on protocol and clinically.
Dr. Harper helped establish the US national guidelines for the nomenclature of cytology, and the screening and management of abnormal cytology and histology reports (Bethesda 2001, ACS Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines; ASCCP/NCI Consensus Conference on the Management of Cytologic and Histologic Abnormalities).
Dr. Harper has published over 100 articles in such peer-reviewed journals as The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, Vaccine, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Annals of Family Medicine. Dr. Harper serves as a journal referee for The Lancet, Lancet Oncology, Lancet Infectious Diseases, Journal of the American Medical Association, New England Journal of Medicine, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, Cancer: Interdisciplinary International Journal of the American Cancer Society, and Evidence Based Medicine-Cochran Reviews, among others.
Dr. Harper has received numerous regional and national teaching awards over the past twenty years. She was honored as teacher of the year at Dartmouth in 2005 and has been teacher of the year at UMKC for the past three years running. She was the New Hampshire Family Physician of the Year in 2006. She is an active faculty role model for the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. Her research has received honors from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in the US as well as the Distinguished Scientist Award from the European Gynecologic Societies. In addition, her outstanding clinical skills are recognized by the multiple men and women who seek her care from throughout the world.
Specialties:
- Health Education
Affiliation:
- University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine
Location:
- Leawood, KS
Group Memberships
Credentials
Activity
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How often should I get a Pap test?
In the United States, the recommendations for Pap testing include starting at age 21 and repeating it every three years if it is normal. At age 30, you have the option of having both the Pap and H...
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What is human papillomavirus (HPV)?
HPV stands for human papillomavirus. There are animal papillomaviruses, too, but they cannot infect humans. HPV is a large family composed of species (groups) and then types. For instance, there a...
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How common are cancers related to human papillomavirus (HPV)?
In the world as a whole, human papillomavirus (HPV) causes one in 20 cancers. In developed countries like the United States, HPV causes one in 50 cancers, but in developing countries like Guatemala...
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Who should get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine?
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can be given to girls as young as 9, but it's not always smart to give the shot this early. Learn why by watching this video in which HPV expert Dr. Diane...
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Why are human papillomaviruses (HPV) vaccines important?
Gardasil and Cervarix are the two current prophylactic HPV vaccines. Neither of these vaccines will prevent cervical cancer if they do not last at least 15 years. At this time, we have randomized c...
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Can human papillomavirus (HPV) infection be cured?
As with most viruses, we do not have a cure for the virus. The immune system can identify some of the HPV infections and clear them permanently. When the immune system cannot detect the HPV ...
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What are the symptoms of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection?
If you've been infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) you may not even know it. In this video, HPV expert Dr. Diane Harper explains why.
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Can human papillomavirus (HPV) go away if it is left untreated?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is not like HIV or HSV or hepatitis B, the other viruses associated with sexual activity. HPV is not transmitted by blood, semen, fluids, saliva or secretions. Getting a ...
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Who should be screened for human papillomavirus (HPV)?
Because HPV is so common in people under age 30, we do not test women under 30 years of age. Once you are 30 or older, the combination of HPV testing for high-risk cancer-causing types and Pap test...
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How is human papillomavirus (HPV) spread?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a human skin to human skin contact infection. Not fluids, not blood, not saliva, not sperm. HPV that causes hand and feet warts are very different types than the types...
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How can I prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection?
Be choosy about your sexual partners. The more partners you have, the more likely you will get human papillomavirus (HPV). Condoms can prevent some HPV infections, but condoms do not prevent ...
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Why should teenage boys get the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine?
There is no evidence that teenage boys must get Gardasil.
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Is there value in testing for HPV when there are no obvious symptoms?
Only if you are over 30 years old. If you want to space out your Pap testing to every 5 years, then ask your doctor to use both the HPV and Pap test. If both tests are negative/normal, then your ch...
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How many types of Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are there?
There are about 140 different types of HPV. The families are tissue specific. For example, HPV 2 and 4 cause warts on the hands and feet. HPV 7 causes hand warts that are most often seen in butcher...
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Is there a vitamin that can be used for HPV?
There are not any well done studies that show that a vitamin can prevent HPV infection. Since HPV only infects skin cells and folate is necessary for skin cells to replicate, some have advocated fo...
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