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Stephanie M Thompson
Stephanie M. Thompson, RN, MSN, CBEC, CBCN, CBPN-IC, CFN is the SEK Regional Nurse/Case Manager for Early Detection Works. Kelly York is the SEK Regional Outreach Coordinator. Their office is located at 410 E. Atkinson, Pittsburg, Ks, 66762.To schedule a free breast health presentation, or to determine eligibility for the EDW program, please call the SEK Regional office in Pittsburg at (620) 235-7136.
Health & Wellness
2011-12-27 14:21:55
Who should get screened for HPV?
Q: Who should be screened for cervical cancer and how often?
A: Cervical cancer, a disease most often caused by a common virus, the human papillomavirus (HPV), is largely a preventable disease. Yet, according to the American Cancer Society, more than 12,700 new cases of cervical cancer will have been diagnosed nationally by the end of 2011 and 4,400 mothers, daughters, sisters and wives will die from the disease. To help raise awareness about this disease, the U.S. Congress declared January to be National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. While human papilloma viruses (HPV) are common, with more than 100 known strains, only about 15 of these strains are the high-risk viruses causing cervical cancer. Additional risk factors for developing this disease are smoking, poor diet, family history and not getting regular Pap tests at recommended intervals. The current guidelines of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) are that conventional Pap testing should be done every year, while the newer, liquid-based Pap being done every two years. The National Cancer Institute findings indicate that cervical cancer is slow-growing and may not always have symptoms, which is why it is so important to get tested on a regular basis. Having regular Pap testing can help detect changes in the cervix before cancers can develop, and any cancers found in an early stage are more likely to be curable. Screening recommendations can be variable in many cases and should be discussed with a family physician, but the most acceptable rule of thumb is that women should begin having Pap tests by the age of 21, or within three years after the onset of vaginal intercourse. In addition to Pap testing, there are two HPV vaccines now approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Gardasil and Cervarix that should also be discussed with your family doctor. These vaccines are recommended for girls ages 9-12, although the Centers for Disease Control have further recommended the vaccines as a catch-up immunization for girls and women ages 13-26.
 
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