(Prevent and Treat Cervical Cancer first appeared in the Public Opinion Newspaper in August 2015.)
Cervical cancer is preventable and when found early, highly treatable and curable. Kim Amsley-Camp, Certified Nurse Midwife at Keystone Women’s Care, shares what you need to know about this disease.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is cancer that starts in the cervix, the area at the narrow end of the uterus where a baby grows in a pregnant woman. It is highly preventable because of screening tests such as the Pap smear and a vaccine that prevents the human papillomavirus (HPV). When found early, it is highly treatable and curable. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that causes most cervical cancers.
Why get a Pap smear?
Pap smears look for pre-cancers or cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer. This minor procedure is done at your health care provider’s office. Women should start getting screened at age 21 through at 65. Women should be screened every three years unless their pap smear is abnormal. If a Pap test and HPV tests are negative, women over age 30 only need to be screened every 5 years.
HPV
Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV, which is a common virus passed from one person to another during sex. Some types of HPV can cause cervical changes which can lead to cervical cancer over time while other types can cause genital or skin warts. HPV is so common that most people get it sometime during their lives. HPV usually causes no symptoms and will go away on its own but if it doesn’t, it may cause cervical cancer.
Who is at risk?
All women are at risk for cervical cancer. It occurs most often in women over age 30. Other things that increase your risk are smoking, having HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) or any other condition that makes it hard for your body to fight off health problems, having several sexual partners, and starting intercourse at a young age.
Early diagnosis
Cervical cancer is the easiest gynecologic cancer to treat when caught early. Cervical cancer has decreased more than 50% over the last 30 years because of the Pap smear and HPV screening. The screening is covered by most insurance plans and is also offered free of charge at Keystone Health’s family planning clinic if no insurance is provided.
For more information about Keystone Women’s Care, click here.
