Cervical Health Awareness Month

Tuesday, January 18, 2011 2:12 PM CST

Kristi Aklestad RNMontana Cancer ControlPrograms Region 5January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. You might wonder why a disease that only claims the lives of approximately 4,021 women in the United States every year deserves a month dedicated to its awareness. in this century, cervical cancer was once the leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States. However in the past 40 years, the number of cases of cervical cancer and the number of deaths from cervical cancer have decreased dramatically. This decline is largely a result of many women getting regular pap tests. ADVERTISEMENT

Cancer of the cervix does not normally form suddenly. the cells in the lining of the cervix gradually develop pre-cancerous changes that turn into cancer. the process takes usually takes several years, but can sometimes happen in less than a year. only some women with pre-cancerous changes of the cervix will develop cancer; in some women these pre-cancerous changes heal on their own. a pap test can detect these pre-cancerous changes before they develop into cancer.There are several risk factors that increase the chance of developing cervical cancer, including tobacco use, a diet low in fruits and vegetables, oral contraceptive (birth control pills) use, family history, and human papilloma virus (HPV). the most significant risk factor is HPV, which has often has no symptoms. as a result, you can become infected with HPV and pass it to others without knowing. HPV is very common, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 50% of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives.one of the most effective ways to prevent cervical cancer is to have regular pap tests to detect pre-cancerous changes to the cervix. the American Cancer Society recommends women to be tested once a year with the regular pap test or every two years with the newer liquid based pap test. the pap test can be performed in the doctor’s office by a physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner. the provider scrapes a small sample of cells and places them either on a slide or in a vial of preservative and sends them to a lab. At the lab, the cells are studied under a microscope for abnormalities.Many Montanan women do not have health insurance and find it difficult to pay for regular pap tests. Fortunately, the Montana Cancer Screening Program (MCSP) can help. MCSP is a state wide income based program that assists women age 30-64 in paying for regular pap tests. the income guidelines are 200% of poverty level, which means that if you are in a household of 3 you can make up to $36,620 and qualify for services, a household of 4 can make up to $44,100. If you, or someone you know, finds it difficult to pay for regular pap tests and are interested in applying for assistance from the Montana Cancer Screening Program, please call Karla Kulpas at the Liberty County Health Department at 759-5517 for more information. (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Cancer Society)