Cervical Cancer Awareness

Cervical cancer is cancer that forms in tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope). Cervical cancer is almost always caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

Estimated new cases and deaths from cervical (uterine cervix) cancer in the United States in 2014:

New cases: 12,360
Deaths: 4,020

See the online booklet What You Need To Know About™ Cancer of the Cervix to learn about cervical cancer symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and questions to ask the doctor.

Source: www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/cervical

All women are at risk for cervical cancer. It occurs most often in women over age 30. Each year, approximately 12,000 women in the United States get cervical cancer

Source: www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/pdf/cervical_facts.pdf

Two tests can help prevent cervical cancer—

1. The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for precancers, cell changes on the cervix that may become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately. You should start getting Pap tests at age 21.
2. The human papillomavirus (HPV) test looks for the virus that can cause these cell changes.

The most important thing you can do to help prevent cervical cancer is to have regular screening tests starting at age 21.

Source: www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/basic_info/prevention.htm