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Cervical cancer is preventable with exams

“It irritates me to be told how things have always been done. I defy the tyranny of precedent. I go for anything new that might improve

the past.” - Clara Barton

By CHAR HOUSKA, RN

January is national Cervical Cancer Screening Month. According to the American Cancer Society, cervical cancer, a disease of the tissue between the uterus and vagina, was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women.

The cervical cancer death rate declined by 74 percent between 1955 and 1992, mostly due to the increased use of the Pap test. Cervical cancer is largely preventable and curable with regular Pap tests and pelvic exams. The Pap test helps to identify changes in your cervix before cancer develops.

What causes cervical cancer? Although nearly all cervical cancers are related to being infected by the human papilloma virus (HPV), most genital HPV infections do not cause cervical cancer. There are more than 100 strains of the HPV. Most people are unaware they have been infected with HPV. They will not have any symptoms and their immune system will clear up the infection. But certain types of HPV can cause changes in the cervix, and if left untreated, can lead to cervical cancer.

How do I prevent cervical cancer? You can prevent cervical cancer by decreasing your exposure to HPV. Abstaining from sexual activity for young women, limiting the number of sexual partners and avoiding sex with people who have had multiple partners will decrease a person's risk of exposure to HPV.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a vaccine that prevents two types of HPV that cause 70 percent of all cervical cancers. To be most effective, a female should be vaccinated before she becomes sexually active.

Another preventative measure is to have regular Pap tests and pelvic exams. Early detection of precancerous lesions can be successfully treated before they become cancerous.

Bottom line? Ask your healthcare provider about cervical cancer, how often you should have a Pap test, and if the HPV vaccine is right for you.

Char Houska, RN, is the Breast Care coordinator at St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center. If you have health-related questions you would like to ask our nurses, please e-mail us at info@saintpatrick.org. Remember, we cannot give individual diagnoses or advice.
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