Cancer Research Lab

What is Cervical Health Awareness Month?
Cervical Health Awareness Month was created to raise awareness about the prevention of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is currently the second-leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. The American Cancer Society estimated that over 9,000 women would be diagnosed with the disease in 2006 and over 3,000 would die from it in the U.S. alone.

Cervical Cancer Can Be Prevented
Cervical cancer can be prevented in most cases. Women can great reduce their cervical cancer risk by getting a regular Pap smear. A Pap smear is a highly effective cervical cancer screening tool, detecting abnormal cervical changes long before they become cancerous.

However, the Pap smear is not a diagnostic test, and regular Pap smears are needed to detect any abnormal changes that may become cancerous.

The HPV vaccine, approved by the FDA in June 2006, is also a highly effective means of cervical cancer prevention. The human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus transmitted through sexual skin-to-skin contact, is known to cause cervical cancer in women.

The vaccine works by preventing four strains of HPV. Two of the strains that the vaccine protects against are known to cause cervical cancer. The other two strains that are covered are responsible for genital warts.

What You Can Do to Keep Your Cervix Healthy
Get Screened: A regular Pap smear is essential in detecting cervical abnormalities. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that a woman have her first Pap smear about three years after her first sexual intercourse or by age 21, whichever comes first. How often you have a Pap smear depends on your age, previous Pap results, and overall cervical cancer risk factor. Remember, annual exams are still necessary even if you do not have a Pap smear every year.

Get Vaccinated: The HPV vaccine is an excellent method of preventing cervical cancer. In clinical trials, Gardasil was 100 percent effective against HPV strains 16 and 18, which are responsible for 70 percent of cases of cervical cancer. It was also 99 percent effective against HPV strains 6 and 11, which are responsible for 90 percent of cases of genital warts.

Gardasil is available to to young women ages nine to 26, with a target age of 11 to 12 years. Talk to your doctor to see if you are eligible to receive the vaccine.

Abstain from Sexual Contact and Intercourse or Limit the Amount Sexual Partners You Have: HPV is transmitted through both sexual intercourse and sexual skin-to-skin contact, so no penetration is needed to contract HPV. Abstaining from all sexual activity is an ideal method of HPV prevention, yet unrealistic for most adults. Limiting the amount of sexual partners you have and staying in a monogamous relationship can reduce your risk factor for developing HPV.

Quit Smoking: Besides the obvious risk of developing lung cancer and heart disease, smoking affects the cervix also. Smoking has been linked to the development of cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer, especially if a woman has HPV. In fact, smokers are twice as likely to develop cervical cancer than non-smokers.