A quick quiz on cervical cancer
/A quick quiz on cervical cancer
One of the most preventable cancers in women thanks to early detection and vaccination is cervical cancer. While any cancer diagnosis is scary, when found early, cervical cancer is usually very treatable.
Cervical cancer has a way of subtly sneaking up on a woman. Often, the first sign she even has it is getting the call from her gynecologist’s office stating she has an abnormal Pap test – the only cancer the Pap test screens for is cervical cancer. This is usually the case as cervical cancer doesn’t necessarily make its presence known in the early stages.
That’s why both the CDC and the American Cancer Society strongly recommend all women begin regular Pap tests starting at age 21. But it is even more imperative than ever as a report in the journal Cancer announced that deaths related to this disease are higher than previously thought. More than 4,000 women die each year from cervical cancer. This serves as a warning sign for all women to be aware and pay attention to this part of their body hidden away deep within the pelvic region. An encouraging note is that cervical cancer when caught early is highly treatable. Experts believe 93 percent of cervical cancers could be prevented altogether.
To prevent being fooled by rumors and wrong information about cervical cancer, get the facts. Take this quiz testing your knowledge on cervical cancer and how to keep your cervix healthy and cancer free:
1. Seeing your gynecologist every year is not necessary – True or False
True - Back in 2012, the US Preventive Services Task Force, updated the Pap test guidelines stating women age 21 to 65 should screen for cervical cancer with a Pap smear every three years or for women within that same age range who want to lengthen the screening interval, to screen with a combination of cytology and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing every 5 years. This does not mean women should skip a yearly visit to her gynecologist. It is still important for the doctor to visually screen for polyps, which can become cancerous. Women, who do get an abnormal Pap test result, will be tested for HPV since it is responsible for nearly all of the 13,000 cases of cervical cancer in the U.S. each year.
2. If over the age of 30, you should ask your gynecologist to do a Pap/HPV combo test –
True or False
True - Up to 80 percent of women will contract HPV during their lifetime. It can be easily spread through vaginal, oral or anal sex. Generally, the majority of cases clear up on their own within a year or two usually with no symptoms. But it is the cells of the cervix in which the virus is most likely to cause abnormal changes if it lingers in a woman’s body for at least a decade. There are 40 strains of HPV with 13 of them that can lead to cervical cancer; however only 10 percent of infections will result in abnormalities of cervical cells. For women over 30, be sure to ask for an HPV “co-test” along with the Pap smear to rule out any persisting infections.
3. A new male sexual partner can forego wearing a condom after 3 months – True or False
False – Any new male sexual partner needs to wear a condom for up to two years. Two years may sound like a long time, but your health depends on it. The reason any new boyfriend needs to roll on a condom each and every time when having sex is he could unknowingly have HPV and pass it to you. Up to 45 percent of U.S. men under the age of 60 are infected with HPV. Since there is no HPV test for men, the only way to possibly know if he is a carrier is if he has genital warts. But not all men with HPV will have these unsightly warts. So, it’s better to be safe than sorry and use a condom.
4. Irregular periods are not one of the signs of cervical cancer – True or False
False - Inconsistent periods can be caused by several things but one of them is cervical cancer. If you are experiencing spotting after sex or heavier-than-usual menstrual cycles, see your doctor as they are always a warning sign of something unusual going on. They often are related to something entirely different than this disease but remember, if cervical cancer is caught early, it can be easily treated.
5. Quit smoking and stay away from people who do – True or False
True - Lighting up or just hanging around those who do for three or more hours a day can triple a woman’s risk for cervical cancer. Even though cervical cancer is primarily caused by HPV, cigarette smoking is considered a cofactor meaning certain types of HPV and cancer-causing chemicals related to smoking may work together increasing the likelihood of developing cancer. The more a woman smokes, the more her risk goes up. The message is to stay away from smoking and stay away from people who smoke.