The Safety Report ? Safeguarding Women's Health: The Importance ...

Did you know that approximately?9,500 new cases of cervical cancer are?diagnosed in the United States each year,?while more than 3,500 woman die each?year from the disease?

Cervical cancer, a disease of the female?reproductive tract, is the most common?cause of cancer death in those parts of?the world where Pap smears and Pap?tests are not available. Yet, it is the easiest gynecological cancer to prevent through?regular screening and early vaccination.

The most common test doctors use to?check for early signs of cervical cancer?is called the Pap smear or Pap test. The?classical Pap smear involves the use of?a beak-like device called a speculum?to separate the walls of the vagina. A?small spatula and brush are then used?to collect cells from the cervix, which are?then smeared onto a glass slide. Modern?variations of the Pap test can collect cells?in other formats. However collected, a lab?will later examine the harvested cells to?see if they are normal or abnormal.

The presence of abnormal cells?usually does not mean cancer is present.?Abnormal cells are quite common, and?most are only mildly abnormal. Fifty to 60?million women are tested in our country?each year, and 2 million to 5 million?women have abnormal cells. An abnormal?Pap smear always mandates further?testing, however, to enable treatment?where necessary.

The largest risk factor for cervical?cancer is human papilloma virus (?HPV?)?infection, which is usually present when?a Pap smear detects cell abnormalities.

Risk Factors
There are more than 100 types of HPV,?most of which are low risk and do not?cause cancer. At least 80 percent of all?women are exposed to an HPV virus?during their lifetimes. HPV is transmitted?through sexual contact.

An HPV detected today may have?been acquired years ago. Most women?infected will experience no symptoms.?Most of the time the virus is low risk?and is destroyed by the body?s immune?system before there is any harm caused.?However, the presence of abnormal cells?warrants increased vigilance, which can?then lead to early detection and whatever?treatment is necessary.

Only women with persistent HPV are at?risk for cervical cancer. Therefore, when?a woman tests positive for abnormal?cells, it is vital to test further. Followup?evaluation is necessary to see if?the patient may already have cervical?cancer, may have cells which can become?cancerous (so-called ?precancer? cells),?or is infected by one of the high risk HPV?viruses that can cause cervical cancer, like?types 6 and 18.

Early Detection
Early detection can facilitate treatment?and even cure cervical cancer. Regular?Pap smear screening can reduce the?incidence of cervical cancer by up to 80?percent.

Since the introduction of the Pap?smear, deaths from cervical cancer have?declined by as much as 99 percent?in populations in which women are?screened regularly. Errors of prevention?in the modern age are due to lack of?regular screening, lack of proper followup?evaluation of abnormal results, and?occasionally by sampling or interpretation?errors. There is a significant false negative?rate with a single screen, so regular,?repetitive screening is necessary.

Pap smears are best scheduled when?the patient is not having a menstrual?period, although many physicians will?test anyway, as long as there is no heavy?bleeding. It is best to abstain from?intercourse and avoid use of tampons?and douches for two days before testing.

When to Test
In the United States, Pap smears are?recommended for all women starting?at age 21, then repeated every three?years. If testing reveals abnormal cells,?or if the patient has HIV or other immune?deficiency disease, more frequent testing?is recommended.

After age 30, the doctor may likely?recommend HPV testing, sometimes?alone but best in conjunction with a Pap?smear. If both are negative, repeat testing?can usually be held off for five years.

Even if the patient has had an HPV?vaccine, cervical cancer screening is still?recommended. The HPV vaccine has no?beneficial effect unless administered?prior to one?s first sexual activity.?Statistically, as many as 30 percent of?females have become sexually active by?the end of middle school, and that rate?climbs to 60 percent for young women?by the end of high school.

Women over age 65 can stop having?Pap smears if they have had regular?testing as recommended in the past,?with no abnormal results the past ten?years. Hysterectomy patients can stop?having Pap smears unless the cervix was?left in, the hysterectomy was needed?because of cervical cancer or precancer,?or the patient?s mother had consumed?DES while pregnant with her.

Skipping regular Pap smears causes?a needless risk of cancer. Over half of?cervical cancers in our country are in?women who have never had a Pap smear.?Ten to 20 percent occur in women who?have not been tested in the previous?five years.

Be Proactive
In addition to having regular Pap and?HPV testing as recommended by one?s?health care provider, the risk of cervical?cancer can be further reduced by sexual?abstinence; delayed onset of sexual?activity; practicing safe sex (condoms?and diaphragms reduce the odds of HPV?exposure); not smoking; maintaining a?healthy diet and lifestyle; and, if eligible,?getting the vaccine that can prevent?most cervical cancers.

Education
For educational purposes, it is important?to emphasize what a Pap smear is not. It?is not a pelvic exam (a pelvic exam may?include a Pap test, but you can have a?vaginal exam without a Pap test). It is not?a test for ovarian or uterine cancer. It is?not a biopsy.

Present any questions you may have?to your healthcare provider. Educational?brochures and additional information?can also be obtained from the Women?s?Cancer Network at www.wcn.org or by?calling their Information Hotline at?(800) 444-4441.

Source: http://thesafetyreport.com/2013/02/safeguarding-womens-health-the-importance-of-regular-pap-smears/

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