Prevention for Cervical Cancer, How to Prevent

Conditions & Diseases: Cancer

Cervical Cancer

Cervical Cancer Prevention

Cervical cancer follows a precancerous stage that can be detected and treated in time. There are several approaches that can prevent cervical cancer to develop.

Avoiding the risk factors

The main risk factor for cervical cancer has proven to be human papillomavirus infection. The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of sexually transmitted viruses. The risk for getting infected with these viruses can be controlled and reduced by conducting several types of sexually safe behaviors:

Delay sexual intercourse, especially if you are a young girl. HPV is more common among young women than in women over the age of 30.
Limit the number of sexual partners.
Avoid sexual contact with partners that are themselves engaged in sexual activities with multiple partners.
Do not trust condoms to protect you from HPV. Recent studies have proven that condoms do not protect against HPV infection, because the virus can be contacted through a skin-to-skin contact with a HPV infected area (such as skin of the genitals or anal area).

The same caution should be taken regarding those infections caused by other cervical cancers risk viruses such as HIV and Chlamydia, which can be contacted during promiscuous sexual behaviors.

A routine screening

A second option available to prevent cervical cancer is being constantly tested for cervical precancerous changes. The screening test, used to detect precancerous changes of the cervix cells or even the cervical cancer itself, is PAP or Papanicolau smear test. This test involves scraping a sample of cells within the junction area of the cervix where endocervix meets the ectocervix. This sample of tissue is examined under a microscope. Each woman should have a PAP tested yearly or at every two years. Most invasive forms of cervical cancer are found in women who were not a regular PAP test.

Women should also test themselves for the HPV (human papillomavirus). This test is highly sensitive to detect precancerous changes with the cervix cells.

Vaccines

Thanks to new research, the medial community offers several vaccines that can prevent cervical cancer. These vaccines prevent women from getting the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are two vaccines available:

1. Gardasil: This vaccine protects against infections of HPV 6,11, 16, and 18. The purpose of this vaccine is to prevent cervix cell changes caused by HPV 16 and 18, and genital warts caused by HPV 6 and 11. This vaccine PREVENTS infection with HPV and can not be used to treat an existing infection. Gardasil is FDA approved and some medical insurance plans might cover it. The vaccine series costs around $360 (but this price does not include the doctor’s fee and cost of receiving the injection). This vaccines requires a series of 3 injections over a 6 months period, where the second injection is administrated two months after the first one and the third one after four months from the second administration. The most common side effects of this vaccine are: short-term redness, swelling, and soreness in the area where the injection is administrated. In order to be more effective, the vaccine should be administered before the young woman becomes sexually active. The Federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that the vaccine to be administrated to girls between the age of 11 or 12. For women between the age of 13 to 26 who did not receive this vaccine between the age of 11 to 12, it is recommended they receive what is called a “catch-up vaccination”.

2. Cevarix: This vaccine protects against infections with HPV 16 and 18.

Article by Alina Morrow, MS
Medical Writer
OmniMedicalSearch.com

Page Covers: How to (can I) prevent cervical cancer?

Sources:

American Cancer Society, Detailed Guide: Cervical Cancer, August 2006
Cancer Research UK, Cervical cancer, December 2006
Maine Cancer Registry, Cervical Cancer, 2004
National Cancer Institute, Cervical Cancer (PDQ®): Treatment, February 2007
Medline Plus, Cervical cancer, March 2007
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Cervical Cancer Screening, December 2005
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Cervical Cancer, April 2003
Cancer Research UK, Types of cervical cancer, November 2006
About: Cancer, Lisa Fayed, Cervical Cancer Stages, 2007

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Page Last Modified:
10/13/2010