Tests can protect against cervical cancer

  • Published
  • By Maj. Jacqueline Cassi
  • 60th Medical Operations Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The U.S. Congress designated January as Cervical Health Awareness Month, a national educational effort about cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus.

HPV is a common virus. More than half of sexually active men and women are infected with HPV at some time in their lives. According to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, there are approximately 79 million people in the United States with HPV.

It can be upsetting when HPV is first diagnosed, but it doesn't mean that anyone did something wrong, just that they were exposed to a common infection.

Some types of HPV may cause symptoms like genital warts. Other types cause cervical lesions which, over a period of time can develop into cancer if undetected.
According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 12,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cervical cancer this year and about 4,000 of these women will die.

However, cervical cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer.  Most women with an HPV infection will not develop into cervical cancer, but it is very important to have regular screening tests, including Pap and HPV tests as recommended by your healthcare provider.

A Pap test is used to find abnormal cell changes on the cervix before they have a chance to turn into cancer. Cervical cancer usually takes years to progress and this is why getting screened on a regular basis is important. Most women who have abnormal cervical cell changes that progress to cervical cancer have never had a Pap test or have not had one in the previous three to five years.

Unlike Pap tests, which look for abnormal cervical cell changes, an HPV test can detect high-risk types of HPV. High risk types of HPV can lead to cervical cancer and this test helps healthcare providers know which women are at greatest risk.

According to a 2009 study of cancer incidence in the U.S. military population, the cancer experience of the Air Force active duty population differs substantially from that of the U.S. population. Among 764 women studied, cervical cancer is next to breast cancer in descending order among the 10 most frequent cancers. Cancer patterns differ between military and nonmilitary populations.

This study compared the incidence patterns of six cancers among all active-duty military personnel and the general U.S. populations, in terms of cervical cancer, the incidence rates were significantly lower in Black women in the military population. The significantly lower risk for cervical cancer among service women versus non-service women might be related to greater access to medical care and cancer screening services in the military, such as what is offered at David Grant USAF Medical Center.

A vaccine is now available that provides pro¬tection against HPV and can help prevent cervical cancer in females 9-26 years old. Women who receive the HPV vaccine they should continue having regular Pap tests.

Remember to vaccinate early, get your Pap test regularly, and have an HPV test when recommended. For more information on how to prevent cervical cancer, visit www.nccc-online.org or contact DGMC's Women's Health Clinic at 423-5311 to schedule a screening.