Screening is Key to Preventing Cervical Cancer
1/26/2022
All women should begin cervical cancer screening via a Pap test at age 21.
PONCA CITY, Okla. (January 25, 2022) – Since annual Pap test screenings were introduced in the 1950s, cervical cancer cases, once the number one cancer in women, have plummeted. Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination has further reduced the numbers.
“Today, we know cervical cancer can be prevented with proper screening to find pre-cancers before they develop into invasive cancer,” said Guillermo Robles, DO, an obstetrician-gynecologist on the medical staff at AllianceHealth Ponca City. “If a pre-cancer is found, it can be treated, stopping cervical cancer before it really starts.”
One factor in cervical cancer is the prevalence of HPV in society. An estimated 80% of sexually active women will become infected with the virus at some point, but of the more than 100 strains of HPV identified, only a few high-risk strains are connected to cervical cancer. The vast majority of HPV infections resolve without any treatment or intervention.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that young women and men receive HPV vaccination at 11 or 12 years of age to provide the best protection, long before the start of any sexual activity. Catch-up vaccines are recommended for males and females through age 26. In females, vaccination helps protect against two types of HPV that cause 70 percent of cervical cancer cases.
“Unfortunately, the CDC reports more than 4,000 U.S. women still die from cervical cancer every year,” said Dr. Robles. “Women at risk of dying from the disease today are those who have been screened infrequently – or not at all.”
Recently, changing guidelines about screening frequency have created confusion. What used to be a clear direction from the American Cancer Society – “get a yearly Pap test” – has become less clear. Recommended time between screenings is now longer, and two separate tests are available. In short, the American Cancer Society no longer recommends getting a Pap test every year, because it generally takes longer than that (10-20 years) for cervical cancer to develop. However, yearly exams without a Pap test are recommended.
While not all physicians agree on the new guidelines, following are good rules from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to protect yourself against cervical cancer. Be proactive and talk with your doctor about the screening guidelines and what is right for you:
- All women should begin cervical cancer screening via a Pap test at age 21.
- Women between the ages of 21 and 29 should have a Pap test at least every three years. HPV testing should be done only if needed after an abnormal Pap test.
- Women between the ages of 30 and 65 should have both a Pap test and an HPV test at least every five years.
- Women over 65 who have had regular screenings with normal results should not be screened for cervical cancer.
Women who are at increased risk for cervical cancer may need to increase the frequency of these screenings.
If you need a primary care provider or obstetrician-gynecologist, schedule an appointment online at AllianceHealthPoncaCityDocs.com or call (580) 718-4501.
Sources: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, www.acog.org, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov, American Cancer Society, cancer.org
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