Why do anogenital warts not progress to anogenital cancer?

Anogenital warts, commonly associated with infection from human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11, are classified as benign lesions. The key reason these warts do not progress to anogenital cancer lies in the fact that they are caused by different serotypes of the virus compared to those that are linked to cancer. Serotypes 16 and 18 of HPV, for instance, are known for their oncogenic potential and are significantly associated with cervical as well as other types of anogenital cancers. In contrast, warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11 do not have this capacity, which explains why the presence of anogenital warts does not carry the same risk for cancer development.

While the other options highlight aspects relevant to the nature of warts and the immune response, they do not directly address the relationship between the specific types of HPV and cancer progression. Understanding the distinction between the serotypes is crucial in the context of risk assessment for anogenital malignancies.