The entire calendar has been set apart into days, weeks, and months to highlight ways to prevent and raise awareness for different types of cancer. This begins right away in January with the entire month being dedicated to raising awareness for cervical cancer, and January 11th being Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Day. Thankfully, cervical cancer is not among these less survivable cancers. In fact, cervical cancer "is one the most successfully treatable cancers" (cancer.org). It is also one of the most preventable.
Are you a sewist looking for ways to spread cancer awareness? Check out our FREE Cancer Awareness Course full of patterns and videos to inspire your next project.
What is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer is formed in the cervix, the lowest part of the uterus. While cancers like melanoma, sarcoma, lymphoma can form in the cervix, the most common types of cervical cancer are squamous cell carcinomas or adenocarcinomas. One cause that often leads to cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus (HPV).
To prevent against cervical cancer, women can practice safe sex by using a condom during sexual activity and receiving a HPV vaccine.
The vaccine is most effective if given at an age range of about 11-26. In addition to using these methods to prevent the spread of HPV, woman can get regularly tested for HPV.
Men can help support cervical cancer prevention by also getting vaccinated against HPV. It's an important step in reducing the spread of the virus to future partners and it helps protect men from other HPV related health issues.
From the National Cancer Institute, "Nearly all people who are sexually active will become infected with HPV at some point in their lives. Most HPV infections go away on their own within a year or two as the immune system controls the infection. These short-term infections do not cause cancer."
There are several ways to screen for cervical cancer. As mentioned earlier, HPV tests are a good way to know if you have an infection that might lead to the cancer. From the ages of 25-65 the American Cancer Society recommends getting a HPV test every 5 years. In addition to HPV testing, cervical cancer can also be discovered during regular Papanicolaou (Pap) tests. Cervical cancer is usually treatable if detected early so these tests are essential for prevention.
"The most important thing to remember is to get screened regularly, no matter which test you get." (cancer.org)
Besides HPV, cervical cancer has many other known risk factors like poor diet, smoking, and sexually transmitted infections (STI's) like HIV which compromise the immune system.
Additionally, women who gave birth before the age of 17 are twice as likely to get cervical cancer later in life than women who had their first full-term pregnancy after the age of 25.
Certain medications have also been linked to a higher rate of cervical cancer. Long-term use of oral contraceptives increases the risk of cervical cancer, but the risk level goes back to normal once a woman stops using the contraceptive.
Women whose mothers took the DES hormone, a synthetic form of estrogen, while pregnant are at a slightly higher risk of developing cervical cancer. Thankfully, this hormone is no longer prescribed during pregnancy (wheelsforwishes.org).
#SewPINK: Cervical & Ovarian Cancer