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 | Cervical Cancer
The Facts
About 15,000 cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed this year. Most of these will be caught early and cured, although about a third of these cases will still result in the patient's death. In certain groups of women, including women past the child-bearing years who do not regularly see a gynecologist, cervical cancer is more commonly found in advanced stages.
Who Is At Risk?
Cervical cancer can affect any woman who is or has been sexually active. Risk of cervical cancer is higher in women who have had multiple sexual partners. Older women and women without access to regular medical care are especially vulnerable if they do not have regular Pap tests and gynecologic exams. Other women at high risk are those infected with the human immonodeficiency virus (HIV), women with genital warts, women with a history of other sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, and women who smoke.
The Best Defense: Early Detection
Thanks to the Pap test, cervical cancer has become a relatively rare cancer in the United States. A Pap test can detect changes in the cervix that can be treated before they become cancer. The Pap test is also very effective in detecting cervical cancer in its early stages before it has spread to other parts of the body, when it is highly curable.
(This information was adapted from The American Cancer Society.)
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