What Women Need to Do to Prevent Cervical Cancer

The American Cancer Society encourages women to follow these guidelines to help find early cervical cancer. Following this guide can also find pre-cancer, which can be treated to destroy cervical cancer from forming:

  • All women must begin cervical cancer screening at the age of 21 years. Women ages 21 to 29 must undergo regular Pap tests every 3 years. HPV testing should not be used for tests in this age group (HPV testing can be used as part of a follow-up for abnormal Pap tests).
  • From the age of 30, a good way of screening is to have a Pap test that is associated with an HPV test every five years. This is called co-testing and must be carried out until the age of 65.
  • Another reasonable choice for women ages 30 to 65 is to screen every 3 years with a Pap test.
  •  Women who are at high risk of cervical cancer because of a depressed immune system (for example due to HIV infection, organ transplants, or long-term use of steroids) or because of exposure to DES in utero may need to be screened more frequently. They must follow the doctor's advice.
  • Women over the age of 65 who have frequently been tested in the last 10 years must stop screening cervical cancer as long as no serious pre-cancer has been found (such as CIN2 or CIN3, CIN stands for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) in themselves for the past 20 years . Women with a history of CIN2 or CIN3 must undergo screening for at least 20 years after an abnormality is found.
  • Women who have had a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix) must stop screening (such as a Pap test and HPV test), unless the hysterectomy is performed as a treatment for cervical pre-cancer (or cancer). Women who have had a hysterectomy without uterine removal (called a supracervical hysterectomy) should have cervical cancer screening according to the guidelines above.
  • Women of all ages may NOT undergo screening every year using any screening method.
  • Women who have been vaccinated against HPV still need to follow these guidelines.

Some women believe that they can stop cervical cancer screening once they stop having children. This is not true. They must still follow the guidelines of the American Cancer Society.
Although annual screening is not performed, women who have an abnormal screening result may need to have a follow-up Pap test (sometimes with an HPV test) within 6 months or one year.

This guide to early diagnosis of cervical cancer does not apply to women who have been diagnosed with cervical cancer, pre-cervical cancer, or HIV infection. These women must undergo follow-up tests and cervical cancer screening according to doctor's orders.

The importance of undergoing a cervical cancer test

Screening tests provide the best opportunity to find cervical cancer early, when successful treatment is still possible. Testing can also actually prevent most cervical cancers by finding abnormal cervical cell changes (pre-cancerous) so that they can be treated before they have the chance to turn into cervical cancer.

If diagnosed early, cervical cancer is one of the most successfully treated cancers. In the US, the death rate of cervical cancer has fallen by more than 50% over the past 30 years. This is believed to be the reason for the effectiveness of Pap screening tests.

Despite knowing the benefits of cervical cancer screening, not all women get the benefits. Most cervical cancers are found in women who have never had a Pap test or who have not done so recently.

Cervical cancer mortality is higher in populations in the world where women do not get routine cervical cancer screening. Actually, cervical cancer is the main reason women get cancer in many developing countries. These women are usually diagnosed with advanced cancer, rather than pre-cancer or early cancer.

Despite the risk of death, cervical cancer is considered one of the most treatable types of cancer. As long as you are diagnosed with cervical cancer at an early stage, this disease can be treated before you have the chance to turn into cervical cancer.


 

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