PPIN Urges Women to Resolve to Get Screened for Cervical Cancer In the New Year
Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) is asking Hoosier women to make a resolution in the New Year to get screened for cervical cancer. January is National Cervical Health Awareness Month and PPIN wants women to ring in 2010 by making an appointment with their health care providers for Pap tests.
"Having a Pap test is the best way to screen for cervical cancer," said PPIN Vice President of Patient Services Liz Carroll. "Although one health care organization (the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) recently recommended that young women wait until age 21 to begin having Pap tests, PPIN's guidelines remain unchanged. While PPIN reviews the new recommendations, the organization is still recommending that young women get their first Pap test within three years of becoming sexually active, but no later than 21."
The Indiana State Department of Health reports that 85 Indiana women died of cervical cancer in 2006, the most recent state statistics available. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the virus that causes the majority of cervical cancer cases. Pap tests can help detect abnormal cells early so they can be treated. The cervical cancer death rate has decreased significantly in recent years because of Pap test screening.
But, it's also important to try to stop cervical cancer before it starts. Both PPIN and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that women ages 9 – 26 be vaccinated for HPV, one of the leading causes of cervical cancer. The Gardasil vaccine, which has been available to women since June 2006, is given in three shots over a six month period and protects women from four different strains of HPV – two that may lead to cervical cancer and two that may cause genital warts. It's also important to consistently use condoms to help prevent the spread of HPV.
Pap tests are available at 30 PPIN health center locations and the organization offers the Gardasil vaccine at 18 health centers around the state.
