Jade Goody, the outspoken 27-year-old reality TV personality lost her battle against cervical cancer just recently. It was only seven short months prior that she had been diagnosed with Stage III cervical cancer. She lived out her illness on TV, bringing attention to a disease that is easily treated if caught early enough — unfortunately, in her case that was not to be.
Cervical cancer is an abnormal change and growth in the tissues of the cervix, a tube that joins the vagina to the uterus. While it can take up to 20 years for the cancer to show itself, changes in the cervix wall related to HPV can begin to occur within the first couple of years of getting infected. A pap smear can detect these changes right away and steps can be taken to pre-empt the disease if detected at this stage. One is at higher risk if you smoke, have many children, use birth control pills for a long time, or have HIV infection. Cervical cancer may not cause any symptoms at first, but later, one may have pelvic pain or bleeding from the vagina. By getting regular Pap tests and pelvic exams you can find and treat changing cells before they turn into cancer.
A vaccine for girls and young women protects against the four types of HPV that cause most cervical cancers. The cervical cancer vaccine (Gardasil) is the first vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designed to prevent a cancer. In the United States, where cervical cancer strikes about 10,000 women a year and causes nearly 4,000 deaths, the impact of the cervical cancer vaccine will be tremendous. Worldwide, the impact may be even greater. According to the World Health Organization, about 510,000 new cases of cervical cancer are reported each year. All you young ladies, schedule a pap smear today and ask your gynecologist a few simple questions. Remember, cervical cancer is the most preventable of all cancers.
