Tag Archives: pap smear

Cervical Cancer is Preventable

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We’ll be back with our regular Fun Friday this afternoon, but this morning, we’re featuring an op-ed from Dr. Sujatha Prabhakaran, MD, MPH, FACOG, our Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs/Medical Director, to mark Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s important to know that cervical cancer is preventable.

It is one of the few cancers that has two proven strategies to prevent – not just treat – the disease. In 2011, more than 12,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer and over 4,000 women died from it.

Almost all of these cases could have been prevented if these women had had access to either cervical cancer screening via Pap smears or to the HPV vaccination – or both.

One thing may not know is that Pap smears don’t usually detect cervical cancer. What they detect are precancerous cells, cells that aren’t cancer yet but show changes that suggest they could become cancerous. Once we detect precancerous cells, we are able to provide treatments to either destroy or remove these cells and prevent them from ever becoming a cancer.

Women who have regular Pap smears (every 2-3 years is now recommended for most women) have a much lower risk of developing cervical cancer because, if they have an abnormality, it is often detected in the precancerous stage.

Another way to prevent cervical cancer or prevent precancerous cells from ever developing is the HPV vaccination. Most cervical cancers are caused by the HPV virus. Seventy percent of cervical cancer cases are caused by two particular types, 16 and 18, which are included in the vaccine. By getting the HPV vaccine before they are exposed to those viruses, women can significantly reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer.

Access to these types of preventive care is vital for the health of women.

While uninsured or under-insured women do have access to Pap tests and HPV vaccinations at safety net providers like county health departments and Planned Parenthood, this access will improve as women’s preventive health services will now be covered 100 percent under the Affordable Care Act.

I’m certain this will be a welcome change for women all over the country.

The Speculum: No, it is NOT a Duckbill Platypus

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As a sex educator, there are certain themes that emerge that you can come to expect. For example, when someone sees a speculum for the first time, their first comment is usually that it looks like a duckbill platypus beak. Or if they aren’t familiar with the platypus family, they say, “Um, that goes where?”

So, the speculum can not be found on the control panel of the Starship Enterprise or in a laser spectronomy laboratory. A speculum, my friends, is that plastic or metal instrument that a gynecologist uses to spread the vaginal walls so the cervix can be seen and reached. They are used during Pap smears and other gynecological procedures like IUD insertion or colposcopy. They come in various sizes and I think it would be cool if they had neat designs on them or lit up in neon colors – it would be my way of saying, sorry to bother you, Ms. Vagina, but look how fun this can be!

When a speculum is inserted, it should not hurt. It might feel uncomfortable, especially if you are tense, but if you feel pain, alert the medical professional right away. I know, I know, how are you supposed to feel comfortable in a paper “gown” (seriously, a gown?!) in a sub-freezing room with your feet in stirrups and your lady parts in a stranger’s face? Well, no one wakes up excited for their “annual,” but it is one of those things that we just do because we know we should. Our vaginal and cervical health is important. So this year, when the doctor or nurse is telling you to “scooch all they way to the end of the table,” just remember that a speculum is NOT a duckbill platypus, and is actually a tool that can help save your life.