September
1,
2008
HPV, Cervical Cancer and Getting
Yourself Checked Out
At
long last Ireland has begun a national cervical cancer
screening program. As of today, all women between
the ages of 25 and 60 will be offered free cervical
screening. Samples will be taken by participating family
doctors and tested in two U.S. laboratories.
This is a huge step forward for Ireland,
which currently has one of the highest cervical cancer
fatality rates in western Europe at 70 deaths from the
disease each year. One
in five women living in Ireland have never had a cervical
smear test.
Unfortunately, the sexually transmitted
disease HPV ("some
strains of which are potentially cancerous, and some
which are direct causes of cervical cancer")
is hugely common. "Most sexually active adults
will have HPV at some time in their lives" and
"at
least one-third of all sexually active young adults
have genital HPV infections."
If you think HPV isn't something you personally
need to worry about, consider the following:
I've only ever
been with one person.
1)
"Even people with only one lifetime sex partner
can get HPV, if their partner was infected with HPV."
I always use
condoms.
2) Correct
condom usage helps lower chances of acquiring and passing
on human papillomavirus but because HPV can infect areas
not covered by a condom they don't offer complete protection.
I feel fine.
3) Some
cancers of the cervix have no symptoms.
He says he's
fine.
4) Currently,
there is no test designed or approved to find HPV in
men.
But back to what the new cervical cancer
screening program will mean to Ireland. Experts predict
"that
a combination of (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer
screening could prevent up to 95%" of cervical
cancer cases.
The earlier the condition is diagnosed, the better the
outcome. This is why regular pap smears are crucial—something
women everywhere should be mindful of (whether you've
had the HPV vaccine or not). If you've recently become
sexually active and/or are going to be making your first
gynecology visit soon, check out Scarleteen's
article on the subject to demystify the experience.
Aside from HPV there are a ton of other sexually
transmitted diseases to watch out for and in this
regard safer sex practices and doctor visits are amongst
your best defenses. Stay healthy!
Some Additional Reading
Genital HPV Infection - CDC Fact Sheet
Safe, Sound & Sexy: A Safer Sex How-To
Condom Basics: A User's Manual
Misconception Mayhem: Separating STI Myths from Facts
Testing, Testing...
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