4 Ways to Educate Yourself More on Cervical Cancer, Deemed ‘The Silent Killer’

Each year, 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Thanks to screenings, pap smears, and vaccinations, prevention and treatment is possible. Nonetheless, we are going to keep talking, promoting, and encouraging women to take the right steps to get there.

 

According to the American Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, women should have an exam every two years once they turn 21. At the age of 11 or 12, Gardasil, the HPV vaccination, should be given to boys and girls who are not yet sexually active. Women can incredibly lower their risk of being diagnosed with cervical cancer or HPV by beginning very early on with preventative measures.

Here are a few tips that further expand on how to deter and detect cancer and the HPV virus.

 

1. Learn About HPV and Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer has been linked to the common virus, human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted disease. Some strains cause warts, others lead to cancer, and many have no symptoms and heal on their own. Twenty million people are living with HPV, with the highest numbers in women who are 20 years old. By the age of 50, 80% of women have been infected with HPV. However, for most women, approximately 90%, the infection regresses on its own within two years.

About 4,000 women in the United States die from cervical cancer a year, while 12,000 are diagnosed. Dubbed the “silent killer” because of its notorious reputation of having zero symptoms, cervical cancer may take 10-15 years to progress.

Some side affects of abnormal cervical cell changes are:

• Bleeding from vagina
• Pain in lower belly or pelvis
• Pain during sex
• Vaginal discharge that isn’t normal

 

2. Get It Over With and Go in for Your Pap Smear

Look, you may hate it, but it could save your life one day. Pap tests detect precancerous cervical lesions, which can be removed before turning into cancer.

If your Pap is abnormal and lesions are found, you may have a cervical cone biopsy, cauterization, or an excision, which will destroy or remove the abnormal areas. While precancerous cells or HPV do not implicate cancer, treatment and precaution will highly reduce your chances of being diagnosed with cervical cancer. Because HPV and cervical cancer may not have any symptoms, an exam is necessary.

 

3. Gardasil is Your Pal 

A recent study proved that Gardasil is an accountable and preventable vaccination that can reduce the chances of women contracting HPV. Issued in a 3-shot regimen, Gardasil produces antibodies that fight four strains of HPV, two of which are the most connected to cervical cancer. We are lucky to have a tool for determent and the deaths of cervical cancer in the United States have declined by 2% a year.

 

4. Never Stop Learning More

While all of this information may seem a little daunting, you can ensure a healthier life by following through with treatment, finding the necessary help, and keeping up with your gynecological exams. You can motivate and support women to learn about cervical cancer and HPV. January is #CervicalHealthMonth, so let’s encourage young women to take the correct steps towards a healthier and responsible lifestyle.

 

What else can you do to take care of your cervical health? Sound off in the comments below!

 

Cover image courtesy of Shutterstock.

By S. Nicole Lane on January 27, 2016
Nicole is a women's health journalist living in Chicago. Her sex and art column, "Intimate Justice" can be found on Sixty Inches from Center. She also contributes to The Establishment, HelloGiggles, GO Magazine, and elsewhere. In addition to writing she is an artist who works with assemblage and sculpture. She tweets at @snicolelane.