National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month | Preventing Cervical Cancer in Maryland
The United States Congress designated January as Cervical Health Awareness Month. Represented by the color teal, the nationwide initiative aims to increase awareness about cervical cancer, HPV, and the importance of early detection. Cervical cancer was once a leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States. More than 14,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer yearly, but the disease is preventable with vaccination and appropriate screening.
What is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer is a disease in which cancer cells arise in the cervix, which connects the uterus to the vagina. HPV is almost always the cause of cervical cancer, which is why vaccines against the virus are an essential part of cervical cancer prevention strategies. Usually, cervical cancer develops over time which is why it’s so important for women to schedule yearly visits for pap smear screenings.
What Can You do to Prevent Cervical Cancer?
To help prevent Cervical Cancer, the FDA has approved three vaccines – Gardasil, Gardasil 9, and Cervarix – that prevent infection with certain subtypes of HPV including 16 and 18, two high-risk HPVs that cause some 70 percent of cervical cancers. If vaccine programs are effectively implemented, 90% of invasive cervical cancers worldwide could be prevented.
Another preventive measure is Pap test screening, a procedure during which cells are collected from the surface of the cervix and examined. The Pap test can detect cancer at an early stage when treatment outcomes tend to be better, and detect precancerous abnormalities, which can then be treated to prevent them from developing into cancers.
Preventing Cervical Cancer in Maryland
An annual exam that covers both gynecological and whole-body matters creates a picture that allows you and your doctor to spot the signs of trouble early. Health conditions treated in their early stages are easier to cure or manage. Bowie Internal Medicine has the advantage of being able to offer routine gynecological exams and procedures, while also providing the health exams an annual physical entails. Contact our office with any questions or to schedule an appointment.