PREVENTING CERVICAL
CANCER
By: Dr. April Mikes, OB/GYN
O
ne of the great success stories
in cancer research, since annual
Pap test cervical cancer screenings
were introduced in the 1950s, cases of
what was once the number one cancer
in women have plummeted. Human
Papillovirus (HPV) vaccination has
further reduced the numbers.
“Today, we know cervical cancer can
be prevented with proper screening to
find pre-cancers before they develop
into invasive cancer,” said Dr. April
Mikes, a OB/GYN physician. “If a
pre-cancer is found, it can be treated,
stopping cervical cancer before it really
starts.”
One factor in cervical cancer is the
prevalence of the human papilloma
virus (HPV) in society. An estimated
80% of sexually active women will
become infected with the virus at
some point, but of the more than 100
strains of HPV identified, only a few
high-risk strains are connected to
cervical cancer. The vast majority of
HPV infections resolve without any
treatment or intervention.
While not all physicians agree on the
new guidelines, following are good
rules from the American Congress
of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
and the American Cancer Society
to protect yourself against cervical
cancer. Be proactive in discussing with
your doctor whether these screening
guidelines are right for you.
· All women should begin cervical
cancer screening via a Pap test at age
21.
· Women between the ages of 21
and 29 should have a Pap test at
least every three years. HPV testing
should be done only if needed after an
abnormal Pap test.
· Women between the ages of 30 and
65 should have both a Pap test and
an HPV test at least every five years.
· Women over 65 who have had
regular screenings with normal results
should not be screened for cervical
cancer.
· Women who are at increased
risk for cervical cancer may need
to increase the frequency of these
screenings. Notably, African American
and Hispanic women have a higher
incidence of cervical cancer than other
ethnic groups.
In short, the American Cancer Society
no longer recommends getting a Pap
test every year, because it generally
takes longer than that (10-20 years)
for cervical cancer to develop. As the
debate continues, there is also the
option to have a separate test for HPV
alone. Again, discuss with your doctor
the appropriate actions based on your
age, lifestyle and risk factors.
Dr. April Mikes is an independent
member of the medical staff of
Weatherford Regional Medical Center.
Dr. Mikes received her medical
school education from University of
North Texas Health Science Center-
TCOM, in Fort Worth, Texas. Her
obstetrics and gynecology residency
was completed at John Peter Smith
Health Network also in Fort Worth.
She joined Weatherford OB/GYN on
August 15, 2017.
Dr. Mikes offers the full scope
of women’s healthcare including
reproductive health, prenatal care,
obstetrical ultrasound, contraceptive
counseling, urodynamic testing and
preventative counseling. She has a
particular interest in gynecological
surgery.
To find a physician close to you, visit
Weatherford Regional Medical Center’s online Physician Directory at
WeatherfordRegional.com/Physicians
“Unfortunately, the CDC reports more
than 4,000 U.S. women still die from
cervical cancer every year,” said Dr.
April Mikes. “Women at risk of dying
Recently, changing guidelines about
screening frequency have created
confusion. What used to be a clear
direction from the American Cancer
Society – “get a yearly Pap test” – has
become less clear. Recommended
time between screenings is now
longer, and two separate tests are
available.
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention recommends young women
and men receive HPV vaccination at
11 or 12 years of age to provide the
best protection long before the start of
any sexual activity. Catch-up vaccines
are recommended for males through
age 21 and for females through 26
years of age. In females, vaccination
helps protect against two types of
HPV that cause 70 percent of cervical
cancer cases.
from the disease today are those who
have been screened infrequently – or
not at all.”
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