There are three groups of genital HPV strains: many no-risk types cause neither warts nor cancer; a few types cause genital warts; and 15 or so high-risk types can increase one's risk of cancer.

If left untreated, genital warts do not turn into cancer.

High-risk HPV, on the other hand, may trigger an infection that leads to cervical cancer. The majority of infections with high-risk HPVs clear up on their own. Some infections persist without causing any additional abnormal cell changes. However, a few infections caused by high-risk HPVs end up triggering cervical cancer over many years.