Health Feature Articles
Cervical Cancer Screening
Heartland Cancer Information Service, National Cancer Institute
Regular screening is important in preventing and finding
cervical cancer. The screening tool for cervical cancer
is the Pap test. In this test, cells from the cervix are
collected and studied under a microscope for signs of
cancer or any abnormal cell changes that may occur
before cancer develops.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supports the
American Cancer Society's (ACS) cervical cancer
screening guidelines, published in November 2002. They
are:
- Cervical cancer screening should begin about three years after a woman begins having sexual intercourse or at age 21, whichever comes first.
- Women should have a Pap test at least once every three years.
- Women age 65 to 70 who have had at least three normal Pap tests and no abnormal Pap tests in the last 10 years may decide, after talking with their healthcare provider, to stop cervical cancer screening.
- Women who have had a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix) do not need to have cervical cancer screening, unless the surgery was done as a treatment for cervical pre-cancer or cancer.
Of course, these are general guidelines. They may not be
right for everyone. It is important for women to talk
with their health care professional about a screening
schedule, especially if they have cervical cancer risk
factors, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV)
infection. In recent years, researchers have identified
HPVs as the main cause of cervical cancer. However, most
HPV infections go away on their own and do not lead to
cervical cancer.
For more information about cervical cancer or HPV,
call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER
or visit the NCI Web site at
www.cancer.gov.
"Ask the CIS" is distributed by the Cancer Information Service (CIS) of the Heartland, which serves Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri & Illinois. The CIS is a program of the National Cancer Institute. Call the CIS toll-free at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. local time.
 |
Site Administrator: |
|
|
|
Last Updated 04/25/2008
