Cervical cancer is caused by HPV [human papillomavirus] a common group of viruses that infect the skin. Genital HPV is so common that most sexually active people will have it at some point in their lives.1 Over 6 million people get genital HPV each year, though most people have no visible symptoms and don’t know they are infected.2 Almost 75% of these new infections are in 15-24 year-olds.3
HPV infection is usually harmless and the body often clears it in a short amount of time.4 However, about 10,000 women per year in the United States will develop cervical cancer, and about 500,000 women will have serious cervical lesions that may need treatment.5 Vaccination against HPV makes it much less likely that a woman will develop cervical cancer and other HPV-related illness that can exact a major emotional, physical, and financial toll.6 Your healthcare provider also can detect changes in the cells of your cervix before cancer develops by doing regular Pap tests. For women over age 30, your healthcare provider may do an HPV test along with your Pap test. Even when cancer cells are found, with early diagnosis cervical cancer can be treated and cured.
The NEA Health Information Network, in partnership with the American Social Health Association (www.ashastd.org), has produced a free booklet to help NEA members and the families and students they serve make informed decisions about cervical cancer prevention. Talking About Cervical Cancer Prevention is a short, engaging resource that provides information about cervical cancer and the virus that causes it: HPV. Find ordering information for this resource below, as well as additional resources from NEA HIN, its partners, and other organizations.
Resources from NEA HIN and its Partners
Resources from NEA HIN and its PartnersTalking About Cervical Cancer Prevention this booklet provides basic information about steps women and preteens (with their parents) can take to protect their cervical health. it also answers some questions that women and the parents of young girls may have about vaccination and other prevention issues. NEA HIN Cancer Page references 1 Koutsky L, et al. Epidemiology of genital human papillomavirus infection. American Journal of Medicine 1997; 102 (5A): 3-8. 2 Genital HPV Infection: CDC Fact Sheet. Retrieved December 2007 at http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm 3 Myers E, et al. Mathematical model for the natural history of human papillomavirus infection and cervical carcinogenesis, American Journal of Epidemiology, 2000, 151(12):1158–1171. 4 Véronique D, et al. Persistence and load of high-risk HPV are predictors for development of high-grade cervical lesions: A longitudinal French cohort study. International Journal of Cancer 2003; 106 (3): 396-403. 5 Clifford GM, et al. Comparison of HPV type distribution in high-grade cervical lesions and cervical cancer: a meta-analysis. Br J Cancer 2003; 89: 101-105. 6 Villa LL, et al. Prophylactic quadrivalent human papillomavirus (types 6, 11, 16, and 18) L1 virus-like particle vaccine in young women: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled multicentre phase II efficacy trial. Lancet Oncology 2005; 6: 271–278. |
Additional Resources Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Immunization Action Coalition The American Cancer Society CDC Health Information Library The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s searchable database of free information on more than 200 diseases and health issues, including cervical cancer. healthfinder® healthfinder® is a gateway to selected consumer health and human services information resources provided by U.S. government agencies and other organizations serving the public interest. Featured resources include online publications, clearinghouses, databases, web sites, and support and self-help groups, as well as the government agencies and not-for-profit organizations that produce reliable information for the public. Medline Plus MedlinePlus will direct you to information to help answer health questions. MedlinePlus brings together authoritative information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.
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