Majority of Cervical Cancer Cases Occur in Patients Not Screened

Majority of Cervical Cancer Cases Occur in Patients Not Screened

The majority of women who are diagnosed with cervical cancer are those who have not been screened, a new report shows.

More than half of cervical cancer cases are recorded in women who have either never been screened or who are screened very rarely, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.)

In the U.S., it was estimated that in the year 2012 around eight million women, aged 21 to 65, had not been screened for cervical cancer within the previous five years.

Lack of screening was also seen in high numbers in older women, women without a regular health care provider as well as women who did not have health insurance.

Screening for cervical cancer, which includes both Pap tests and HPV testing identify malignancies that could lead to the development of cancer. It is recommended that women have a Pap test at least every three years from the age of 21 with older women who are aged 65 and older being advised to undergo more frequent screenings.

The combination of the HPV vaccination along with regular screenings could prevent as many as 93% of new cervical cancer cases, according to studies by the CDC.

Over the last several decades, the cervical cancer death rate has reduced by more than 50%, according to the American Cancer Society.But, it is still estimated that 12,360 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed this year in the U.S.

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix — the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, play a role in causing most cases of cervical cancer.

Image credit: BlurryMe/Shutterstock

 

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