How Pap Smears and HPV Vaccines Save Lives

What is cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix. The cervix is at the lower part of the uterus between the uterus and the vaginal canal. Cervical cancer often does not cause symptoms.

What causes cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is almost always caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection. It is a group of viruses that can cause warts, cell changes, and cancer. It infects surfaces of the skin and body including the vagina, vulva, cervix, penis, anus, and throat. Certain strains or types of this virus are considered “high-risk.” These types are known to cause cancers. They include HPV 16, 18, 31, and 33. Often, HPV infections are cleared by the body naturally. However, certain high-risk strains of HPV can cause long-lasting infections that lead to cell mutations and, eventually, cancer.

Why should I get tested or test myself for cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is a mostly preventable disease. It is slow developing, and screening tests are quick and widely available. The need for treatment, surgery, and incidences of death due to cervical cancer can be prevented by regular testing.

Cervical cancer screenings, typically in the form of an HPV test, Pap smear, or co-HPV/Pap test, are important ways to check for precancerous growths on the cervix. Cervical cancer can be prevented, treated, and often cured if it is caught early at a regular screening.

What is cervical cancer screening?

Cervical cancer screenings are tests that check for HPV and cervical cell changes that could lead to cancer. This screening can be done in 3 ways:

1. Pap test: This test is often called a Pap smear. It takes a sample of cells from the cervix and sends them to a lab to check for cell changes.

2. HPV test: This also takes a sample of cells and checks for high-risk types of HPV.

3. HPV/Pap co-test: This test uses the cell sample to test for both HPV and cell changes.

How are abnormal screening results treated?

If you get screened and the results show that you have abnormal or changed cells, or they show that you are positive for HPV, the next step will likely be more tests. You may set up an appointment with your health care provider for a colposcopy. This is similar to a Pap test but allows your provider to see your cervix with a camera. They can also take tissue samples or a biopsy for more analysis of unhealthy or changed cells.

If the biopsy shows you have cervical cell changes. You may need to have surgery to remove this tissue. Often surgery removes the precancerous or cancerous tissue, leaving the rest of the cervix intact and your body heals itself.

In rare cases, surgery to treat cervical changes can affect your ability to carry a pregnancy. Removing tissue from the cervix can cause the cervix to become weak. This increases the risk of preterm birth or having a miscarriage.

If I only have one sexual partner, why should I test for HPV or cervical cancer?

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Almost everyone who has sex gets it at some point in their lives. It is easily spread by skin-to-skin contact and usually has no symptoms. It often goes away on its own within 2 years of infection. However, the infection can stay inactive or dormant in your body for 10 to 20 years without you knowing.

There are currently no HPV tests for men other than by visual inspection for warts or other physical symptoms.

You can protect both yourself and your partner by getting regularly tested for HPV and cervical cancer.

Are there other ways to prevent cervical cancer?

Yes. There are vaccines that are given to men and women to protect against the high-risk strains of HPV that cause cancer: types 16 and 18. It is recommended that everyone get the vaccine between the ages of 9 and 26. However, the vaccines are available to people of all ages. There are different guidelines for the 3 different vaccines.

The vaccines have shown that they can help prevent over 90% of HPV-caused cancers.

HPV vaccines can be found in most hospitals that provide immunizations, community health clinics, and school health centers. You can find more information at your state’s health department.

Ok, I understand why cervical cancer testing and the HPV vaccine are important!

What do I do now?

Get tested or find an at-home test. HPV tests will only tell you if the infection is active, so you need to test every 5 years. The American Cancer Society recommends one of the following:

• Pap test every 3 years

• Co-Pap test/HPV test every 5 years

• HPV test every 5 years

Get vaccinated. The vaccine is offered at any age. Getting the vaccine later may not provide as much benefit, since you may have already been exposed to the high-risk strains of HPV, but it can still help. It may help especially if you may have more than one sexual partner in the future.

Most insurance plans pay for vaccinations. There may also be programs to help you pay if you do not have health insurance.

Resources for readers:

• HPV Guide for Men

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know

• HPV and Pap Test Results: Next Steps after an Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Test

Written by Amy Wulff, MA 

Edited by Caroline Cencer

References

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15. BD News. Women in U.S. can now collect their own sample for cervical cancer screening. Available from: https://news.bd.com/2024-05-15-Women-in-U-S-Can-Now-Collect-Their-Own-Sample-for-Cervical-Cancer-Screening. Accessed August 14, 2024.