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The ADVANCE, January 13,2021 /Page 8B
January
is...
Cervical
Canqer
Screening
Month
Procedures that can help
doctors identify cervical cancer
Cervical cancer screenings follow
a specific set of guidelines that were
updated by the American Congress
of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
in September 2017. To help check for
or confirm a cervical cancer diagnosis,
doctors may recommend various pro
cedures.
• Pap smear: Verywell Health says
a pap smear can identify abnormal
changes to cervical cells long before
they become cancerous. A woman's
first pap smear is recommended at age
21.
• HPV testing: Certain types of
human papilloma viruses, including
types 16 and 18, increase cervical can
cer risk, according to the Mayo Clinic.
An HPV screening test looks for the
presence of HPV.
• Colposcopy: During this proce
dure, the doctor uses a colposcope to
look at the cervix. A colposcope has a
bright light with a magnifying lens to
make tissue easier to see. A doctor can
see if the cervix looks like it has any
abnormalities.
• Punch biopsy: During this pro
cedure, a doctor uses a sharp tool to
pinch off small samples of cervical tis
sue.
• LEEP: LEEP stands for loop
electrosurgical excision procedure.
During the procedure, the doctor uses
a wire loop heated by an electric cur
rent to remove some tissue from the
cervix, advises WebMD.
• Endocervical curettage: With
this procedure, a doctor uses a small,
spoon-shaped instrument called a cu
rette to scrape a small sample of tissue
from the cervix, according to Com
pass Oncology.
• Conization: This biopsy removes
a cone-shaped section of abnormal tis
sue for laboratory examination. The
University of Colorado Gynecologic
Oncology says this procedure is often
used in cervical dysplasia cases when
a buildup of precancerous cells occurs
on the cervix surface. It also can col
lect a larger sample of cells for testing.
These procedures are used in the
prevention, identification and pos
sible treatment of conditions that may
lead to cervical cancer.
The guidelines for various cancer screenings
Screenings are vital components
of preventive health care. Much like
healthy diets and routine exercise can
reduce a person's risk for various dis
eases, early screenings can reduce the
likelihood that diseases like cancer
will prove fatal.
The COVID-19 pandemic has
affected nearly every aspect of life, in
cluding preventive care. Data from the
medical records vendor Epic revealed
that, between March 2020, when CO-
VID-19 was first declared a pandemic,
and early fall 2020 screenings for can
cers of the breast, cervix and colon had
declined by 86 to 94 percent.
Patients' hesitation to schedule
screenings during the pandemic is
understandable. However, medical
professionals continue to urge men
and women, particularly those who
are vulnerable to certain cancers, to
schedule screenings. Doctors' offices
and hospitals have adjusted their pro
tocols during the pandemic in an effort
to keep patients safe, so adults should
not hesitate to schedule screenings.
The following guidelines can help
patients determine if the time is right
for them to be screened for various
cancers.
• Breast: Hackensack Meridian
Health notes that mammograms have
reduced breast cancer mortality in
the United States by 40 percent since
1990. The National Comprehensive
Cancer Network, Society of Breast
Imaging, American Society of Breast
Surgeons, and American College of
Radiology recommend that women
begin receiving annual mammograms
at age 40.
• Lung: Low-dose computed to
mography, often referred to as low-
dose CT scans, are noninvasive, sim
ple tests that have helped increase lung
cancer survival rates considerably.
Hackensack Meridian Health notes
that only 15 percent of lung cancers
are diagnosed early, so it's impera
tive that vulnerable adults prioritize
screening (nonsmokers and people
who have never smoked are typically
not referred for screening). Annual
screening is recommended for current
smokers or anyone who has smoked in
the past 15 years, though doctors may
recommend less frequent testing de
pending on the results of past screen
ings.
• Cervical: Cervical cancer screen
ings, whether it's a Pap test or an HPV
test, can be conducted during wom
en's health screenings. Death rates for
cervical cancer have dropped consid
erably thanks to increased screening,
so it's important that women discuss
their risk with their physicians. The
American College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists recommends av
erage-risk women between the ages of
21 and 29 have a Pap test every three
years, while those between the ages of
30 and 65 have a Pap test and an HPV
test every five years.
• Skin: Skin cancer screenings
typically involve doctors examining
patients' skin from head to toe. If the
doctor notices any abnormalities, a
biopsy may be taken. People at in
creased risk of skin cancer, which in
cludes those with fair complexions, a
significant history of sun exposure and
sunburns and a family history of skin
cancer and melanoma should receive
full-body screening exams every year.
People also can conduct self-exami
nations and report any abnormalities
they find to their physicians immedi
ately.
Cancer screenings are vital com
ponents of preventive health care and
should remain so even during the pan
demic.
How women can
take charge of
cervical health
Women can schedule a call today with their doc
tors to talk about risk for cervical cancer and which
screenings they should receive.
Maintaining cervical health is an important
component of self-care for women. The National
Cervical Cancer Coalition indicates that nearly
13,000 women in the United States are diagnosed
with cervical cancer each year. The Canadian Cancer
Society estimates that 1,350 Canadian women will
have been diagnosed with cervical cancer for 2019 -
and around 410 will have died from it.
Cervical cancer can be deadly, but it is often
preventable. Learning more about the disease can
ensure women get the treatment they need.
Human papilloma virus
Human papilloma virus, commonly refered to
as HPV, is a very common infection that spreads
through sexual activity. The Office of Disease Pre
vention and Health Promotion states that HPV is
responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer.
Roughly 79 million Americans currently have HPV,
and many aren't even aware they are infected. HPV
can also cause genital warts. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention now recommend that pre-
teen girls and boys get the HPV vaccine at age 11 or
12. This vaccine can prevent HPV-related cancers,
which contribute to cervical cancer as well as can
cers of the vulva, vagina, anus, and other parts of the
body. Women and men up to age 45 can still get the
vaccine even if they were not vaccinated as children.
Adults require a three-dose series of the vaccine.
HPV contraction can be prevented through safe
sex practices, including limiting the number of one's
sexual partners.
Cervical cancer screenings
In addition to HPV vaccinations, women should
have regular examinations with a gynecologist that
will include both visual exams of the cervix and sur
rounding tissues and testing. The NCCC says testing
will include a Pap test, which will determine if there
are cellular changes on the cervix, as well as an HPV
test, which can look for the virus itself. These tests
(either alone or in combination) are recommended
for women age 30 and over. Screening frequency
typically depends on doctor preference and patient
risk.
Cervical cancer diagnoses
Many cases of cervical cancer can be prevented,
and there are various treatment options for those
diagnosed with the disease. Depending on the stage
the disease has reached, doctors typically perform
some sort of surgery to treat the area. Hysterectomy,
which takes out the uterus and cervix, is the most
common way to treat cervical cancer, advises the
American Cancer Society. Laser surgery to burn off
cancer cells or cryosurgery to freeze them are other
options. Sometimes only a portion of the cervix is
removed. The American Society of Clinical Oncol
ogy says the five-year survival rate for cervical can
cer averages 66 percent, although the rate varies de
pending on age, race and ethnicity.
Women can take charge of their cervical health
by speaking with their doctors about HPV and cer
vical cancer and by scheduling the screenings they
need.
GASTRO
INTESTINAL
ENDOSCOPY
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