Women's Health Screening Series: Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer

Let's continue our series by discussing a major public health problem here and abroad: cervical cancer. The cervix is the lower, narrow end of the uterus that connects the uterus and vagina.  A common cause of cervical cancer is human papillomavirus (HPV) which is actually a type of sexually transmitted disease.
 
WHO should get screened for cervical cancer?

•  All women with a cervix should get screened for cervical cancer no matter your race or ethnicity!

WHAT does cervical cancer screening entail?

•  Well...let's just say it involves stirrups lol. No one likes to get a pap smear. No one. However, it is very important that women do not run away from this test. During a Pap smear, your doctor scrapes some cells off your cervix and sends them to a lab for analysis. If anything unusual comes back from the lab, your doctor will let you know. (I always tell my patients to relax and scootch down to the edge of the examining table, that usually makes things go a lot faster :-)

 
WHEN should women get screened for cervical cancer?

•  The United States Preventive Task Force recommends screening for cervical cancer in women ages 21 to 65 years with a Pap smear every 3 years.
•  Women ages 30 to 65, who want to lengthen the screening interval, should be screened with a combination of Pap smear and HPV testing every 5 years.
• If you have an immune deficiency, such as HIV, have a history of a high-grade precancerous cervical lesion, cervical cancer, or were exposed to diethylstilbestrol while your mother was pregnant with you, these recommendations do not necessarily apply to you and you should ask your doctor for specific recommendations.
  

WHERE can women get screened for cervical cancer?

• Primary care doctor
• OB/GYN
• The CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women across the United States. For more info click here.

 

 
WHY should women get screened for cervical cancer?

• Cervical cancer used to be the #1 cause of cancer death for women in the United States. However, in the past 40 years, the number of cases of cervical cancer and the number of deaths from cervical cancer have decreased significantly because of PAP SMEARS!
• Here is the most recent information from the CDC. In 2009:
• 12,357 women in the United States were diagnosed with cervical cancer.
• 3,909 women in the United States died from cervical cancer.

HOW can I prevent myself from getting cervical cancer?

• The most important thing you can do to help prevent cervical cancer is to have regular screening tests.
• Two HPV vaccines are available to protect females against the types of HPV that cause most cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. Both vaccines are recommended for females 11 to 26 years of age (but can be given to girls as young as 9). It is important to note that even women who are vaccinated against HPV need to have regular Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer.
• Men can also get HPV leading to genital warts, penile cancer, anal cancer and cancers of the head and neck. The CDC recommends the HPV vaccine for men 11 to 26. It is important to note that gay and bisexual men are at a higher risk for HPV.
  
• Don't smoke. If you are going to have sex, use condoms and limit your number of sexual partners.

 

 

Decrease your risk of getting cervical cancer! Don't be afraid of needles and pap smears!!!

Women's Health Screening Series: Breast Cancer

                         
 We are happy to embark on a new series! The Women's Health Screening Series will be a 3 part series that explains the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and WHY of important health screenings for today's woman. (For our male readers: don't worry this pertains to you too because you can share your new found knowledge with the women in your life!) Screenings are a vital part of leading a healthy lifestyle because your doctor can catch a disease in the early stages when there is still a good chance to cure it. There is a lot of different information out there on who should get screened for what and when. Most of the information will be based on the United States Preventative Task Force recommendations (USPSTF). We will break it down for you in a way that is both short and sweet.

First up is the most widely discussed female cancer, BREAST CANCER.

 

WHO should get screened for breast cancer?

•  All Women should get screened for breast cancer no matter your race or ethnicity!

WHAT does breast cancer screening entail?

•  Breast cancer screening entails self breast exams, clinical breast exams and mammography.
• Self breast exams: I personally do not discourage women from doing monthly breast self exams (BSE), although it is no longer recommended that doctors teach their patients to do self breast exams because adequate evidence suggests that BSE do not reduce breast cancer mortality.
• Clinical breast exams: these are exams preformed by your doctor.
• Mammography: mammograms are low-dose X-rays that can find a lump before you even know it's there, though normal results don’t completely rule out cancer. Mammograms are the BEST way to screen for breast cancer.

WHEN should women get screened for breast cancer?

• While you are in your 20s and 30s, your doctor may preform clinical breast exams once every 1-3 years.
• Women 40 and above should have a mammogram yearly, however some women who have family members with breast cancer may be at a higher risk. These women should talk to their doctors about the possibility of starting screening mammography at a younger age.
• The USPSTF recommends screening mammography for women aged 50 to 74 years every 2 years.

WHERE can women get screened for breast cancer?

• Your primary care physician's office is a great resource and often a 1 stop shop for many screenings.
• If you do not have insurance here are some other options:
• CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides access to breast and cervical cancer screening services to underserved women in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, 5 U.S. territories, and 11 tribes.
• Also, look out for health fairs in your area that may offer free breast cancer screenings
• Contact your local health department to see if they offer any free screening resources.

WHY should women get screened for breast cancer?

• Breast cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in women in the USA, only coming in second to non-melanoma skin cancer. It is also one of the leading causes of cancer death among women of all races. 
• Here is the most recent data we have from the CDC, in 2009:

• 211,731 women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer.
• 40,676 women in the United States died from breast cancer.

So please tell your mother, daughters and friends to get screened and if you are a mother, daughter or friend don't forget to get yourself screened too!