Pap Smear is Still Best Defense for Cervical Cancer
Saturday June 17, 2006
The new approval of the cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil, is great news in the world of cervical cancer prevention. However, the vaccine is only effective for women who do not have HPV. It is not a mehtod of treatment for women who are currently infected with HPV. Considering millions of women are infected, what is the best way women can prevent cervical canccer if they have HPV?
The simple answer is the Pap smear.
Getting a regular pap smear is essential for womens' gynecological health. A Pap smear can detect cervical changes before they turn cancerous!
As many of you may know, cervical cancer is an issue that really hits home for me, so I have made it a goal to spread the word about the importance of having the Pap test performed on a regular basis! The test is covered by almost all insurance plans, including MedicAid and Medicare. If you do not have health insurance, there are many low cost clinics that will perforn the test for free or at a low cost. The average self-pay cost at a doctor's office is $50.00.
Please, ladies, remember to have the Pap done regularly- it just may save your life!
Related:
The Pap Smear: What to Expect During a Pap Smear
How Often A Women Should Have a Pap Smear
Tips for an Accurate Pap Smear
Comments
And don’t forget that a test ALREADY EXISTS to detect the presence of HPV virus (the actual cause of cervical cancer). Pap tests are not infallible and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that an HPV test be done in conjunction with Pap for all women age 30 and older. It’s MUCH better at eliminating the false positives and catching the true positives. See http://www.thehpvtest.com/