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Cervical Cancer: HPV Vaccine Most Important Tool for Prevention
3 min. read
Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute
Author Judy Blume. Saturday Night Live alum Julia Sweeney. Tony Award-winning Broadway star Marissa Jaret Winokur. Meet some of the famous women who have survived cervical cancer.
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and what the experts at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute would like you to know is that with today’s prevention and early detection methods, cervical cancer could soon be eradicated. In addition, thanks to newer treatments using immunotherapy drugs and antibody-drug conjugates, care for cervical cancer has improved significantly in recent years.
Some interesting facts about cervical cancer from the American Cancer Society include:
· More than 13,300 cases of invasive cervical cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2025.
· Women are commonly diagnosed between the ages of 35 and 44. There was an increase in cervical cancer of 1.7 percent a year (from 2012 to 2019) in women ages 30 to 44.
· Cervical cancer has declined 11 percent a year in the same time period in the 20 to 24-year-old age group. Doctors believe this is because more young people are receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, which helps prevent many of the cancers caused by HPV.
“Our recommendation is that everyone between 9 and 26 — females and males — be vaccinated, ideally before they are sexually active,” said Jean-Marie Stephan, M.D., a gynecologic surgical oncologist at Miami Cancer Institute. “The FDA has also approved the vaccine now through the age of 45 so we encourage adults to speak to their primary care physicians or OB/gyns about the benefits of vaccination for them.”
Jean-Marie Stephan, M.D., a gynecologic surgical oncologist at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute
Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV, which is spread primarily through sexual activity but can also be transmitted from infected mother to baby during childbirth. The body fights off most HPV infections, but the effect of the virus on certain cells can lead to HPV-related cancers later in life. In addition to causing cervical cancer, HPV can lead to vulvar cancer and vaginal cancer in women and a number of head and neck cancers in women and men.
To detect cervical cancer at its earliest stage, when it is most treatable, women should also be screened regularly with HPV and Pap tests. Speak to your physician about the best screening schedule for you. Older women, even if they are not sexually active, should still undergo gynecological exams and screening because 20 percent of cervical cancers are found in women over age 65, according to the American Cancer Society.
Symptoms of cervical cancer can include unusual vaginal bleeding, such as after intercourse, after menopause or between periods; longer or heavier than usual menstrual periods; vaginal discharge; and pelvic pain or pain during intercourse. If you experience symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible.
In a social media post when Judy Blume was diagnosed with a second cancer — this time breast cancer — she wrote: “There’s no breast cancer in my family (recent extensive genetic testing shows no genetic connection). I haven’t eaten red meat in more than 30 years. I’ve never smoked, I exercise every day, forget alcohol — it’s bad for my reflux — I’ve been the same weight my whole adult life. How is this possible? Well, guess what — it’s possible.” The cause of her cervical cancer was identified as HPV.
While cancer can develop at any age and in any individual, there is scientific evidence that many cancers are the result of lifestyle factors, Dr. Stephan said. To reduce the risk for all cancers, women should not smoke, should exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, eat well, limit alcohol and manage stress. For cervical cancer, prevention techniques do not mitigate the need for the HPV vaccine or for screenings, however.
On the cutting edge of care, Dr. Stephan and gynecologic surgeon John Diaz, M.D., chief of clinical oncology at the Institute and director of robotic surgery at Baptist Health, recently performed the first two uterine transposition surgeries at Baptist Health. The fertility-sparing procedure is only offered at a few centers around the world.
“During a uterine transposition, we move the uterus and ovaries into the upper abdomen and attach them to the abdominal wall,” Dr. Stephan said. “Therefore, for women who must undergo radiation therapy to treat their cancer, including those with cervical cancer, the organs are outside the radiation field and protected from radiation exposure.” When the patient has completed radiation, the uterus and ovaries are moved back into position.
“We have made many advances in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer, and we are always looking for ways to improve care,” said Dr. Stephan. “What we’d really like to see, however, is the elimination of cervical cancer altogether. The vaccine is the key to eradicating this disease.”
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