Hot Topic: Cervical Health Month

January is National Cervical Health Awareness Month, which gives us an opportunity to go over some simple facts about cervical cancer.

Cancer of the cervix is a very common kind of cancer in women. It is a disease in which malignant cells are found in the tissues of the cervix. These cells usually grow slowly over a period of time so routine screenings will pick up their presence.

The cervix is the opening of the uterus (or womb) and it connects the uterus to the vagina (the birth canal). Before cancer cells are found on the cervix, the tissues of the cervix go through changes in which abnormal cells begin to appear. This condition is called “dysplasia”. Later, the cancer starts to grow and spread more deeply into the cervix and surrounding areas.

According to the National Cancer Institute, strong risk factors include:
·early age at first intercourse,
·a history of multiple sexual partners,
·genital human papillomavirus infection (HPV) or other sexually transmitted diseases, and
·the presence or history of other genital tract abnormalities.

Women age 60 and older are at greater risk for cervical cancer than women in other age groups because they are often less willing or able to seek medical care for early screening. One reason many of these women do not get screened for cervical cancer is that they often don't view themselves as being at risk. Other risk factors include active or passive ("second-hand") smoking, poor nutrition, and a current or past sexual partner with risk factors for STDs, or HIV/AIDS.

There are no real symptoms in the early stages of cervical cancer. That is why is it is so important that your doctor does a series of tests regularly to look for it. The first of these is a Pap smear, which is done by using a piece of cotton, a brush, or a small wooden stick to gently scrape the outside of the cervix to pick up cells that can be examined under a microscope. While there may be a feeling of pressure, you usually do not feel pain. Most cervical cancers can be caught early with regular screening.

Women should schedule their Pap test when they are not menstruating - the best time is between 10 and 20 days after the first day of the last menstrual period. For around 2 days before the test, douching, using vaginal medicines or spermicidal foams, creams, or jellies should be avoided unless they have been ordered by a physician. These may wash away or hide abnormal cells and give an incorrect result.

Women who are or have been sexually active, or have reached age 18, should have Pap tests and physical exams regularly. Current general guidelines recommend that women have a Pap test at least once every 3 years, beginning about 3 years after they begin to have sexual intercourse, but no later than age 21. It is safe to wait 3 years, because cervical cancer usually develops slowly. Cervical cancer is extremely rare in women under age 25.

Women may want to discuss with their doctor how often to have the test. There is no known upper age at which Pap tests cease to be effective. Older women should continue to have regular physical exams, including pelvic exams and Pap tests. Women who have had consistently normal Pap test results may want to ask the doctor how often they need to have a Pap test.

Women who have had a hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus, including the cervix) should talk with their doctor about whether to continue to have regular Pap tests. If the hysterectomy was performed for treatment of a pre-cancerous or cancerous condition, the end of the vaginal canal still needs to be sampled for abnormal changes. If the uterus (including the cervix) was removed because of a non-cancerous condition such as fibroids, routine Pap tests may not be necessary. However, it is still important for a woman to have regular gynecologic examinations as part of her health care.

Ask your healthcare provider about the new HPV vaccine for girls and young women. Research has proven that ten different types of genital Papillomavirus HPV can lead to the development of cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine is effective against this virus.

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