What Women Need to Know About Cervical Cancer

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month and Kristin Stovern, Certified Nurse-Midwife at The Juno Group in Joplin, offers women information on how to stay healthy and vigilant.

Cervical cancer is the easiest female cancer to prevent with regular screening tests and follow up, as recommended by your health care provider. The Pap test, which screens for cervical cancer, is one of the most reliable and effective cancer screening tests available.

Almost all cervical cancers are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus usually passed from one individual to another during sexual relations. There are over 100 strains of HPV with some types than can cause changes on the cervix over time leading to cervical cancer. There are other strains that will do nothing, or possibly cause genital warts to appear.

HPV is very common resulting in most everyone getting it at some point in his or her life. HPV typically has no symptoms so you have no way of knowing you have it. Most of the time, HPV will go away on its own with time, but if it doesn’t, there is a chance it may cause cancer.

There are other factors that can increase a woman’s risk of cervical cancer, such as smoking, or having HIV or another condition that makes it hard for your body to fight off the virus.

In the early stages, there are not signs or symptoms of cervical cancer. Advanced cancer may cause bleeding or discharge that is not normal for that woman. The bleeding may be caused by something other than cancer, but seeing your practitioner is advised to be certain.

There are two tests that can help prevent cervical cancer:

1. The Pap test which looks for precancers. You should start getting Pap tests at age 21. Pap tests should continue regularly from 21 – 65. After that point, it depends on the patient’s history. (However, the exam will include a pelvic exam to assess a woman’s uterus, ovaries, and other pelvic structure for abnormalities unrelated to cervical cancer.)

2. The Human papillomavirus(HPV) test. This test looks for the high risk strains linked with cervical cancer.

Two HPV vaccines are available to protect females and males against the types of HPV that cause most genital cancers. These vaccines can be given to young men and women from ages 11 – 44. If you receive the vaccine you will still need regular Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer since the vaccine does not protect against ALL HPV.

For more information, please read the U.S. Preventive Services Taskforce.

Take care of yourself! Preventive care is essential to decrease illness and disease that may forever adversely affect your life. Be smart and have your annual check ups!

Kristin Stovern, APRN, MSN, CNM

 

Click here to visit The Juno Group‘s website.

Images courtesy of Kristin Stovern and www.thegreatletdown.com.

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Living Life to The Fullest!

I love seeking out new experiences and finding places off the beaten path. I started Joplin MO Life in August 2013 as a way to share my discoveries with others in the Joplin community so that they can learn about the resources that exist right in their own backyards.

I have worked in education and event planning, and have always loved to write. I hold a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in marketing from Tulane University.