Vaccinations and screenings are key to prevention
Note: The following item was provided by Atrium Floyd Health for publication. Tifani Kinard, Vice President of Rural Health, penned this latest item. -KtE
Vaccination and early detection are critical when it comes to preventing and treating cervical cancer. January is Cervical Cancer Awareness month, a great time to get to know the symptoms and take preventive steps.
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a common virus that can lead to cervical cancer. The good news is that the virus can be prevented with a vaccine. During Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, talk to your child’s doctor about getting the HPV vaccine.
Cervical cancer was once a leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States.
Today, screening and prevention have greatly reduced the impact of this form of cancer. Still, nearly 14,500 women in the United States received a diagnosis of cervical cancer and more than 4,200 died from the disease last year, according to the National Cancer Institute.
What exactly is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer occurs when cancer cells form in the cervix, which connects the uterus to the vagina. HPV is almost always the cause of cervical cancer, which is why vaccines against the virus are an important part of cervical cancer prevention strategies.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three vaccines – Gardasil, Gardasil 9, and Cervarix – that prevent infection with certain subtypes of HPV including 16 and 18, two high-risk HPVs that cause some 70 percent of cervical cancers.
Possible symptoms
The symptoms can sometimes be difficult to determine, but here are a few to look out for:
• Bloating…for no good reason.
• Pelvic pain or pressure that doesn’t go away, and you don’t know why.
• Feeling too full, too fast even when you eat just a little.
• Unusual bleeding or spotting…like having longer or heavier periods than what’s normal for you, or bleeding after
you’ve gone through menopause.
What the CDC says about the vaccine
• HPV vaccination is recommended for preteens age 11 to 12 years, but can be given as early as 9 years of age
• HPV vaccine also is recommended for everyone through age 26 years, if they are not vaccinated already.
• While the vaccine is not recommended for everyone older than age 26 years, some adults aged 27 through 45 years may decide to get the HPV vaccine after speaking with their doctor.
• If vaccination is started before age 15, a two-dose schedule is recommended, with the doses given 6 to 12 months apart. For people who start the series after their 15th birthday, the vaccine is given in a series of three shots.
• The vaccine does not treat existing infections or diseases, which is why it should be given prior to exposure.
Pap test recommended
Cervical cancer is not a fast-spreading and often develops slowly. That is why preventive measures are so important. Pap test screenings are recommended. That is done by collecting cells from the surface of the cervix and examining them.
The good thing about a Pap test is that it can detect cancer at an early stage and can also detect any abnormalities that might be considered precancerous. Treatments are available to keep precancerous cells from developing into cancers.
You should get screened for cervical cancer regularly, even if you received an HPV vaccine.
About Atrium Health Floyd
Since 1942, Floyd, now Atrium Health Floyd, has worked to provide affordable, accessible care in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Today, Atrium Health Floyd is a leading medical provider and economic force. As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the nation’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home – including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care.
At the hub of these services is Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, a 304-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center. Atrium Health Floyd employs more than 3,500 teammates who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at three hospitals: Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Georgia; Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia, as well as Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Behavioral Health, a freestanding 53-bed behavioral health facility, also in Rome; and a primary care and urgent care network with locations throughout the service area of northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama.
