exclusive on STLtoday.com
News |
Business |
Sports |
Entertainment |
Health |
Life & Style |
Photos |
Jobs |
Autos |
Homes |
ShopSTL |
Classifieds
Web Search powered by YAHOO! search
|
Cervical health & the HPV vaccine
THRIVE! MAGAZINE
According to the National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC), in 2008 new cases of cervical cancer reached an estimated 11,070; the same disease caused 3,807 deaths that year. These numbers represent a 50 percent decrease in the incidence of cervical cancer, an impressive decline due in good part to better screening and earlier treatment. But the fight isn't finished. African-American women are 30 percent more likely to develop cervical cancer than Caucasian women and are three times more likely to die from it. Hispanic women are twice as likely to develop this cancer. Cervical cancer continues to be the second most common cancer in women. In 2008, a Nobel Prize went to Harald zur Hausen, M.D., who discovered that cervical cancer was caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). His discovery led to an HPV test and a vaccine. What can you do to help fight cervical cancer? 1. If you're older than 30, discuss the merits (and insurance costs) of an HPV test, which can be done at the same time as a PAP test. Why the age limit? The presence of HPV is so common in women younger than 30, and the incidence of cervical cancer so low, that testing is essentially meaningless. Most often, the body's immune system rids itself of HPV, a common virus. If your HPV test results are positive, don't assume cervical cancer is inevitable. Most sexually active women contract HPV sometime in their lives and never develop cancer. A positive result requires a follow-up test. If it is normal, your immune system has done its job. If not, your physician may want to take a closer look at your cervix. Women over the age of 70, or those who have had hysterectomies that included removal of the cervix, needn't be tested. 2. Don't let concerns about the sexual transmission of HPV cause embarrassment. As noted, this virus shows up in virtually everyone. It comes in a variety of permutations, can live a long time undetected and doesn't signify promiscuity or an unfaithful partner. Use of condoms can help prevent transmission, but the virus can live on areas of the body that won't be affected by this practice. The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology states that most sexually active couples will share the virus until their immune systems get rid of it. (There is no treatment for HPV.) 3. If you're 26 years old or younger, the CDC and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend you receive the HPV vaccine. In fact, these organizations recommend the vaccine for all females ages 9 to 26. 4. If you're a mother or grandmother, make sure your daughters and granddaughters are protected by the HPV vaccine — perhaps the most significant step you can take toward eradicating cervical cancer. Information courtesy of the National Women's Health Resource Center, healthywomen.org
Write a letter to the editors |
Subscribe to a newsletter |
Subscribe to the newspaper
|
yesterday's most emailed
 
new start career training
Dead end job? Search here for the training you need to revive your career today!
|
