Make Cervical Cancer Detection a Priority!

Cervical cancer is a disease most women should be screened for on a regular basis. Here are answers to some questions you may have about the disease and screenings for it.

What causes cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is caused, in part, by humanpapilloma virus (HPV)--a common sexually transmitted disease. Fortunately, most women who have HPV will never develop cervical cancer. However, a significant number of women with HPV develop a precancerous condition called cervical dysplasia. If cervical dysplasia is left untreated, invasive cervical cancer may eventually develop.

Every woman runs the risk of developing cervical cancer. In addition to HPV, these factors increase the risk:

Large number of sexual partners
Early age at first intercourse
Presence of sexually transmitted disease
Smoking
Suppression of the immune system

How can cervical cancer be prevented?

The Pap test is the most effective cancer prevention strategy available. The Pap test detects precancerous changes in the cervix that need to be further examined and diagnosed. This means that changes can be detected in time for intervention to prevent cancer from developing.

Women should have their first Pap test at age 18 or when they first become sexually active, whichever comes first. A Pap test should be performed yearly unless a woman's doctor indicates otherwise. It often takes years for an untreated precancerous condition to lead to cancer, so regular screenings are key, especially for women with any of the risk factors.

What if my Pap test results are abnormal?

An abnormal Pap test doesn't mean that a woman has or will develop cancer--it means she may be at risk for developing cancer.

If you have an abnormal Pap test, your physician will consider the test results and your risk factors to determine the appropriate course of action. If you are at high risk for developing cervical cancer, your physician may recommend you get a colposcopy.

What is a colposcopy?

A colposcopy is a technique by which a small magnifying instrument, called a colposcope, is used to see the cervix and the vagina. During a colposcopy, the physician identifies the changes on the cervix and diagnoses their cause. In some cases, the physician may need to remove some of the abnormal cells for further study to establish the cause of change. This is called a biopsy.

After the colposcopy, the physician will review the findings and classify the condition. Based on this classification, the physician may recommend treatment or simply that the condition be closely monitored.

Prevention is the best approach to avoiding cervical cancer. Remember: Cervical cancer can develop at any point in a woman's life. Make prevention a priority. If you are due for a Pap test, call your physician today.

The Colposcopy Clinic

Richard Lieberman, M.D., and Anthony Opipari, M.D., Ph.D., run the Colposcopy Clinic in the Cancer Center at the University of Michigan Health System. Many women are referred by their physician to the Colposcopy Clinic for further examination after an abnormal Pap test. A woman also can make an appointment without a referral if she has a concern regarding an abnormal Pap test or management of abnormal test results.

Clinic physicians will design a treatment plan, perform all necessary procedures, and administer follow-up Pap tests, seeing a woman until her condition has cleared up. To contact the Colposcopy Clinic, call (734) 647-8906.