Cervical cancer possible to prevent

Cervical cancer claims the lives of about 4,000 women in the United States each year, and because of this, it's important for females to understand the warning signs and preventative measures that can be taken. The recent cervical cancer-related death of Adi Thelen, a Dixie State College assistant professor of communication, has brought about the discussion of cervical cancer as it pertains to the women of DSC. According to www.helppreventcervicalcancer.com, cervical cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in women in their 20s and 30s. The cancer is usually caused by HPV, which is a sexually transmitted viral infection. Any girl or woman who becomes infected with HPV can potentially develop cervical cancer. Mary Record, senior medical assistant at Dr. Chad Lunt and Dr. Tracy Kvarfordt's office, 515 S. 300 East, said: "Any woman is susceptible to [cervical cancer]. It can start early, so we start doing pap smears as soon as [women] become sexually active because HPV is transmitted so readily." Record said HPV doesn't always cause cervical cancer, but it is the major cause. "The way they detect it is by Pap smear," she said. "It's now a fluid Pap test that is much more sensitive and can catch [cervical cancer] really early." If women catch the virus early, the cancer will be more treatable. "[Cervical cancer] can be prevented just by doing their Pap smears as soon as they become sexually active," Record said. "They never have to have it. They need to start having their yearly Pap smear." Women won't always have symptoms if they have cervical cancer, but they could have an abnormal Pap smear, which is why it's important for women to have them yearly. Record said if women do have an abnormal Pap smear, they just need to follow through with treatment, and they'll most likely become cancer free. Grant Carter, medical director of women's and children's services at Dixie Regional Medical Center, 544 S. 400 East, said abnormal pap smears for women usually consist of inflammation or abnormal cells. If women have inflammation, they can be treated with antibiotics, but if they have abnormal cells, it could mean those cells are precancerous. Carter said some of the treatment options women have are to have the cells frozen off or burned off and cauterized. After that, women need to have Pap smears two or three times a year for a couple of years until their bodies are back to normal. "If Pap smears persist abnormally, some women go on to have a hysterectomy," Carter said. There are several things women can do to help prevent cervical cancer. According to the Web site, there are some things that can increase the risk of getting cervical cancer. These include having unprotected sex, having many sexual partners, having sex with someone who has had many partners, having sex at an early age, smoking cigarettes, and eating an unhealthy diet. Avoiding these practices can decrease the risk. Another option for women is to get vaccinated. Carter said Gardasil is the only vaccine available to women for cervical cancer. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, vaccination is recommended for the prevention of cervical cancer for age-appropriate girls and women. "If a woman gets a certain strain, and there are different strains, it can cause cervical cancer," Carter said. "The Gardasil folks developed a vaccine that prevents you from getting abnormal Pap smears or cervical cancer. If you get the vaccine then your chances go down." Carter said the recommendation right now is for any woman from puberty to age 30 to get the vaccine. Women are urged to speak with their doctors about the vaccine to see if it is right for them.