Cervical Cancer

Minority Women's Health > African Americans > Health Topics > Cervical Cancer

There is a new vaccine called Gardasil that can help prevent infection with the types of HPV viruses that cause most cervical cancers. The vaccine has been approved for girls and women ages 9-26. It is best to get the vaccine before you start having sex. The vaccine does not replace the need to wear latex condoms to lower your risk of getting other types of HPV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The cervix connects the uterus (where a baby grows) to the vagina (the birth canal). Cervical cancer is a disease in which cancer cells are found in the tissues of the cervix. Before cancer cells are found on the cervix, abnormal cells start to appear. Cancer that goes untreated starts to grow and spread more deeply into the cervix and to nearby areas. Cancer of the cervix usually grows over a period of time.

If found early enough, abnormal cells can be treated before they turn into cancer. Your doctor finds these cells by doing a Pap test.

Get a Pap test every one to three years if you have been sexually active, starting at no later than at 21 years old. After your first Pap test, you should have a Pap test at least once every three years. Talk to your doctor about how often you should have a Pap test and pelvic exam.

Diagram of a woman's reproductive system African American women develop cervical cancer more often than white women and are more than twice as likely to die from it. Testing is very important to help reduce this disparity.

Almost all cervical cancers are caused by two types of human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that is spread through sex. Other types of HPV can cause genital warts. Many types of HPV do not cause problems at all. HPV can't be cured, but you can talk about treatment options with your doctor if abnormal cells grow.

The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) program provides free or low-cost Pap testing to women who don't have health insurance. To learn more about this program, please contact the CDC at 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636).

Publications

A Snapshot of Cervical Cancer - This publication contains incidence and mortality rate trends for cervical cancer from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). It also lists the NCI initiatives relevant to cervical cancer.
http://planning.cancer.gov/disease/Cervical-Snapshot.pdf
Cervical Cancer (PDQ®): Screening - This page-by-page explanation of cervical cancer screening provides information about the risk factors for cervical cancer and the effectiveness of common screening methods.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/screening/cervical/patient/
Gynecologic Cancer Awareness - This site is designed to raise awareness about the five major gynecologic cancers (cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information and educational materials for women and health care providers.
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/gynecologic.htm
A Woman's Guide to Understanding HPV and Cervical Cancer (Copyright © ARHP) - This brochure educates women about HPV and cervical cancer, including new technologies, with focused information for women currently undergoing screening.
http://72.3.159.179/Publications-and-Resources/Patient-Resources/printed-material...
Cancer Facts and Figures for African Americans 2007-2008 (Copyright © ACS) - This publication estimates the number of new cancer cases and deaths of African Americans and provides the most recent statistics on cancer incidence, mortality, and five-year relative survival. It also includes sections on cancer risk factors such as tobacco use, physical activity, and the use of cancer screening examinations.
http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/CAFF2007AAacspdf2007.pdf
FAQs about Cervical Cancer/HPV Vaccine Access in the U.S. (Copyright © ASHA) - This fact sheet contains information about HPV vaccines, who produces them, the process for vaccine recommendations and guidelines, and the most effective distribution methods and age for administering the vaccine.
http://www.ashastd.org/pdfs/HPV_FAQ_032007.pdf

Organizations

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Current as of December 2007