Cervical Cancer Awareness Facts

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Cervical cancer is one of the easiest cancers to detect if a woman has yearly pelvic exams and Pap smears. It can often be successfully treated when it’s caught early.

But what is it?

Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells on the cervix grow out of control. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Cervical cancer can often be successfully treated when it's found early. It is usually found at a very early stage through a Pap test. 

What causes cervical cancer?Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. You can get HPV by having sexual contact with someone who has it. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms. 

You can have HPV for years and not know it. It stays in your body and can lead to cervical cancer years after you were infected. This is why it is important for you to have regular Pap tests. A Pap test can find changes in cervical cells before they turn into cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you may prevent cervical cancer. 

What are the symptoms?Abnormal cervical cell changes rarely cause symptoms. But you may have symptoms if those cell changes grow into cervical cancer. Symptoms of cervical cancer may include:

• Bleeding from the vagina that is not normal, or a change in your menstrual cycle that you can't explain.
• Bleeding when something comes in contact with your cervix, such as during sex or when you put in a diaphragm.
• Pain during sex.
• Vaginal discharge that is tinged with blood. 

How is it treated?The treatment for most stages of cervical cancer includes:

• Surgery, such as a hysterectomy and removal of pelvic lymph nodes with or without removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes.
• Chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy.

The more you know about it, the more you can be aware and keep tabs on yourself. Trust what your body is trying to tell you and get checked by a doctor regularly. “… Knowing is half the battle.”

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