Cervical Cancer

Awarness is being drawn to cervical cancer, it is a very real disease. There are things you should know about it that can help save your life!

What is Cervical Cancer?

It is a malignant cancer of the cervical area. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a factor in 95% of cases of cervical cancer. HPV is a virus that affects the skin and mucous membranes of humans. There are approximately 150 different kinds of HPV. Some types can cause warts, cancer or show no symptoms.

There are no symptoms of cervical cancer in the early stages, which is why a Pap test is so important.

The symptoms of cervical cancer in the late stages are:

• vaginal bleeding, but it may not show any symptoms until the cancer is in the advanced stages.
• Sex can be painful
• vaginal discharge

Treatment consists of surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. If you do not receive treatment it can develop into an invasive cancer and can be life threatening. It becomes harder to treat the longer you have it.

What You Need to Know About Pap Tests

What is a Pap Test?

The health care provider or doctor will do a pelvic examination. The Pap test involves taking cells from the cervix and placing them on a microscope slide. The slide and cells are sent to a laboratory to look for abnormal changes in the cells. Any changes could indicate pre-cancerous conditions, which can be easily treated.

Who Should be Tested?

All women aged 18 to 69 years of age. (or even older if recommended by your doctor)

How Often Should I Be Tested?

The frequency of testing is dependent on a number of factors which change over time.

• Women who have never had a Pap test, should have two tests, one year apart. If the results of both tests are normal, testing would occur every three years after, unless specified by your doctor.
• Women over the of 67, with no pap tests for the last three years, should be tested at 6 months intervals for a year, if the results are both normal, further testing may not be required.
• Women with a total hysterectomy may still require regular Pap tests.
• Women requiring regular testing until age 69.
• Women with more than one sexual partner, should continue to have annual Pap tests.

What Do the Results Mean?

There are three results:

Normal, meaning that the cells from the cervix look normal.

Unsatisfactory, means the Pap test could not be read at the laboratory and the test should be repeated in four months.

Abnormal, means that a change in the cells of the cervix have been detected. The majority or abnormal results are minor or simple conditions that can easily be treated as they have been caught early on. This does not mean you have cancer, but make an appointment with your doctor to follow up. Abnormal results are not unusual, approximately 7 to 10% of women have an abnormal Pap test result.

What You Should Know About HPV

How You Can Prevent Cervical Cancer

• The best thing you can do is get your yearly Pap test, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Cervical cancer is 95% preventable with regular Pap testing.
• Condoms are the next preventitive measure, but not a gaurantee.
• Have less sex partners, as more increases the risk of contracting HPV.
• Wait to have sex. Having sex earlier means a higher reisk of developing cervical cancer.
• Don't Smoke, smoking may weaken cell structure resulting in the development of abnormal cells.
• Stay healthy, a weakened immune system can increase the risk.

There are preventitive vaccines on the market now, that you can get through your doctor. They usually cost a lot and you should see if your health insurance will cover any of it.

• Gardasil is effective against 4 strains of HPV (6, 11, 16, 18).
• Cervarix is 100% effective against strains 16 and 18, for up to 4 years.

HPV strains 16 and 18 cause about 70% of cervical caner. And strains 6 and 11 cause about 90% of genital warts.

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