Years ago, cervical cancer was the number one cause of cancer-related death for women in the United States. Fortunately, early detection and treatment have dramatically improved over the last 40 years, reducing mortality. Cervical cancer is preventable – a Pap smear can find precancerous changes in the cervix, and an HPV test can determine if you carry the virus.
According to Amal Masri, M.D. with Piedmont Physicians Gynecologic Oncology Athens, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated cervical cancer screening guidelines state that women aged 30-65 now have three effective options for cervical cancer screening:
- Pap smear with cytology alone every three years
- High-risk HPV testing alone every five years
- Pap smear and high-risk HPV testing together every five years
“If caught early, cervical cancer has a high survival rate,” Dr. Masri says. “Abnormal cells seen on Pap tests are precancerous [rather than cancerous] the vast majority of the time.”
Here are 10 more important facts about the prevention, detection and treatment of cervical cancer:
- Nearly 14,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year.
- Most cases are caused by certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus.
- Cervical cancer typically has no symptoms in the early stages.
- Thanks to routine annual pelvic exams and Pap tests, it is often detected early, so schedule a yearly exam with your gynecologist.
- When found in the precancerous stage, cervical cancer is 100% curable with proper treatment and follow-up.
- It occurs most often in women who are over the age of 30.
- Risk factors include: HPV, HIV, age, smoking, having sexual intercourse before age 18 and having many sexual partners.
- Symptoms in later stages include abnormal bleeding or discharge, as well as pain during intercourse.
- Because strains of HPV can cause cervical cancer, HPV vaccines were developed to protect females against strains that lead to vulvar, vaginal and cervical cancer.
- Treatment for cervical cancer includes surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, biological therapy or interferon.
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Sources:
Piedmont Healthcare
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention