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Cancer experts at the City of Hope, California Center for Cancer Therapy and Research, point out that in the past 40 years, the mortality rate of cervical cancer has dropped by more than 50% β largely because women have become more informed about the risks and more cervical smear screenings are being performed. The more women know about this disease, the greater their chance of preventing it.
About 99% of cervical cancers are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. The most common strains β HPV16 and HPV18 β account for approximately 70% of all cases, with around 14 million new HPV infections discovered every year. The good news is that cervical cancer is largely preventable. The FDA has approved three HPV vaccines: Gardasil (2006), Cervarix (2009), and Gardasil 9 (2014). Gardasil 9 is believed to be 97% effective in preventing cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, and vaginal cancer, and is recommended for young men and women between the ages of 9 and 26.
It is also worth noting that lesbian and bisexual women are less likely to undergo cervical cancer screening, potentially due to fear of discrimination or insufficient awareness β a gap that healthcare providers and public health advocates are working to address.
All women over 21 should undergo regular cervical cancer screening. This includes annual pelvic examinations and regular Pap tests, during which cells are collected from the cervix to check for abnormalities. Women in their 20s should have a Pap test every three years, while women between the ages of 30 and 64 are advised to have one every five years.
One of the most important things to understand about cervical cancer is that it often shows no obvious warning signs in its early stages. It may cause some bleeding, but this is easily confused with irregular menstruation and frequently overlooked. The disease typically does not cause pain, making routine screening all the more critical. Women should not ignore any abnormal symptoms and should seek medical evaluation promptly β because as City of Hope experts emphasize, early detection through consistent screening is the most reliable way to protect against this disease.
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About Sai Sree
β Reviewed for medical accuracy by the CancerFax review panel.
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