Our Prevention Guide to Understanding Cervical Cancer and the Human Papillomavirus

2011 Cervical Cancer Prevention Guideby Tamika and Friends, Inc. in partnership with Heart & Soul magazine

Cervical canceroccurs in the cervix,the part of the uterusthat opens to thevagina.

1. HPV is a very common virus that causes cervical cancer.HPV stands for human papillomavirus—-a sexuallytransmitted infection that almost every woman will get atsome point in her life. Certain types of HPV can causeharmful cell changes in a woman’s cervix. If these cellchanges are not treated, cervical cancer may develop.

Speak with your healthcare provider about what cervical cancer prevention methods are right for youand how often to get screened. Remember, cervical cancer is preventable!

2. If I have HPV, will I definitely get cervical cancer? No!Although most women will get HPV at least once during theirlives, few women will get cervical cancer. Most women’sbodies will fight off the virus before it causes any problems.You have a greater chance of developing cervical cancer ifyou have HPV for many years because your body has notfought off the virus.

3. You can get HPV through sexual contact with an infectedpartner. Most people who are infected with HPV do not haveany symptoms. Some types of HPV cause vaginal warts andother types cause cancer; the types of HPV that can leadto cervical cancer usually do not cause symptoms. Manywomen feel fine even when they have cell changes in theircervix or early stages of cervical cancer.

4. You should not feel ashamed if you have HPV. HPV is avery common sexually transmitted infection. In fact, about3 of every 4 adults will have had HPV at some time intheir lives.

5. How do I know if I have HPV? The only way to know forcertain whether you have HPV is to ask your healthcareprovider for an HPV test in addition to a Pap test. If you are30 or older, you must insist on that HPV test. Though findingHPV early won’t get rid of the virus, knowing if you have HPVlets you work with your healthcare provider to keep yourcervix healthy.

6. HPV vaccines are most effective when given to girls andyoung women who are not yet sexually active. The HPVvaccines are recommended for girls 11 and 12 years old,and are approved for girls and young women up to age 26.

7. Can I prevent HPV? Condoms may give you someprotection. But because HPV is transmitted by skin-to-skincontact, “safe sex” can’t fully protect you from HPV.Only abstinence can do that.

Key Facts

cervix

The good news is with proper screening andvaccination, almost every case of cervical cancercan be prevented.

Even though about 4,000 women die each year fromcervical cancer, you don’t have to lose your womb or yourlife to the disease. You just have to keep what I call theEleventh Commandment: No matter how busy or brokeyou think you are, whether you have insurance or not,you must never, ever skip your Pap test and HPV test.

Tamika Felder— Survivor and Founder, Tamika & Friends, Inc.

Not equal. Not surprised?

Today, women of color are diagnosed with cervical cancer at alater stage than white women, and after a diagnosis don’t liveas long as white women.

Communities of Color and Cervical Cancer

Let’s start with a family portrait

This graph shows new cervical cancer cases per 100,000women in the United States during 1998–2003. (API meansAsian/Pacific Islander). For more information on this graph,go to www.cdc.gov/cancer/hpv/statistics/cervical.htm

The situation is getting better

We have to change this

Communities of color are less likely to seek medical treatment.Even when they do so, it’s often less available. When treated, theyare less likely to obtain first-class care at every step of illness.The bottom line: Compared to the white population, communitiesof color don’t live as long, and while living don’t live as well.

Tamika & Friends is in the business of changing this unacceptablesituation. We are dedicated to outreach to all women, but takeparticular care to spread the word to women of color.

Our tip to you: If you are a woman of color, you deserve the besttesting and best treatment. Do not accept substandard healthcarefor cervical cancer or anything else. Make yourself heard.

Some other resources for women of color are at:

www.wespeakloudly.com/cervical_health.html is forAfrican-American women and girls

www.latinainstitute.org/takeaction/contraceptiveequity.htmlis for Latinas

www.apiahf.org is dedicated to health for Asian and PacificIslander women and men

Take Action!

Now that you have been well informed, we hope you are inspiredto take action to prevent cervical cancer.

If you are ages 9 to 26.

• Ask your doctor if the HPV Vaccine is right for you and/or yourdaughter

If you are under the age of 30, schedule a Pap test.

• Ask your doctor to use a “liquid-based” Pap test.

• Ask your doctor to be sure that an HPV test is run if yourresults are inconclusive.

If you are 30 or over, schedule an HPV test along with yourPap test.

• Let your doctor know before your appointment that you wouldlike an HPV test done with your Pap test.

• To find out if your health plan covers the HPV test for screeningwith a Pap test, call The HPV Test Hotline at 1-866-895-1HPV(1-866-895-1478). Please have your insurance company’sname and group number available when calling.

Remember to ask your healthcare provider for a copy of theresults. You can even bring the office a self-addressed stampedenvelope so your results can be mailed to you.

Share with others the message that Tamika & Friends hasshared with you. Cervical cancer is preventable!

For more information, please email us atinfo@tamikaandfriends.org

or visit our website atwww.tamikaandfriends.org

Cervical cancer used to be the leading cause of cancer deathfor women in the United States. Black and Hispanic womenwere hit particularly hard. Over the past 40 years, as thenumber of new cases and deaths has decreased, the numbersfor all groups are slowly moving together.

This graph above tells the story of cervical cancer death rates inthe U.S. from 1975 to 2005.

For more information on this graph, go towww.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/statistics/race.htm

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