LAFAYETTE, La. — January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
Cervical cancer is highly preventable because of the availability of pap screening tests and a vaccine to prevent HPV (Human Papillomavirus) infections, which cause 91% of cervical cancers in the U.S.
May S. Thomassee, MD, a minimally invasive gynecological surgeon at Our Lady of Lourdes, spoke with KATC on the importance of early detection, screening, and prevention.
"The reason we talk about prevention of cervical cancer is because if we find the high-risk HPV virus, then we can track, we can provide screening on a more regular basis, and we can also provide certain tests and procedures that help prevent cells from changing into abnormal cells that would be pre-cancer or cancer," Thomassee said. "So the importance of that is understanding that everything is based on this HPV and that every patient is different and should have what we call shared decision-making or an understanding of that with their provider."
The American Cancer Society recommends that all women receive cervical cancer screenings between the ages of 21 and 65 years of age. Early detection makes cervical cancer highly treatable and is associated with long survival and good quality of life.
Click here to find out more.
