January was cervical cancer awareness month. I know I’m late. Forgive me. Still feel like it’s last year.
Speaking of last year, in 2020, there were an estimated 13,800 new cases of cervical cancer in the U.S. (SEER 13, 2018). The number one cause of cervical cancer is HPV (human papillomavirus). According to the CDC, HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get the virus at some point in their lives. This statement is boldly placed at the top of their HPV page. I think they’re trying to tell us something?
Well, for one, get the HPV vaccine. And two, get screened.
According to the CDC, in 2018 (the year of the most recent estimate), 81.8% of women 21–65 years old were up to date with cervical cancer screening. Note: Screening can include a Pap test (aka Pap smear) or an HPV test, or both, depending on the age group. This fell short of the Healthy People 2020 target of 93%. Call me a high achiever, but I think we can do better than a B-, fellow cervix owners. And we better step up our game because the screening rate has been falling. This surprised me. What’s more is that the falling trend from 2013 to 2018 was statistically significant. That basically just means there’s more reason to pay attention to this.
I’m passionate about promoting cervical cancer awareness and HPV prevention because even though I got the vaccine, I still got HPV…I think. In 2015, I got a Pap test that came back with an abnormal result: ASCUS, or atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance. Huh? I know. I can still remember where I was when I got the call from my doctor: in the parking lot at my work, pacing the asphalt as my doctor spoke so quickly that I had a hard time comprehending. ASCUS? Squamous…hey, I learned that term in bio. Wait, did he just say HPV? *Heart rate spikes*
Never mind the panic. What I took away was that ASCUS was a possible sign of HPV and that it could clear up on its own. I honestly can’t remember if I got an HPV test. I don’t think I did. Pretty sure my doctor didn’t give me instructions to get an HPV test. I was left in the dark. And it scared me!
More than five years later and I’m still confused as to whether I had HPV. Probably, knowing that most sexually active adults will get it at some point. My doctor did note how common it was, in a half-consoling way, but still. I really wish I could go back in time and ask my doctor for an HPV test as a follow-up. Did he offer one? Why is this still a mystery? Ugh. Reader, ask questions if you get an abnormal Pap.
Nevertheless, my next Pap did come back normal. All clear. Guess it did clear up on its own. I now know that ASCUS could also just be a sign of a yeast infection. Sigh. Lord help us cervix owners.
The point is that Pap tests (and HPV tests) are crucial to cervical health. In case you’re wondering what the cervix is, it’s the thing at the top of the vagina, just before the uterus. So, obviously you can’t see what’s happening in there, which is why the Pap test with its little swab that gets a taste of the landscape, if you will, is a life-saving tool. I mean, who would’ve thought a glorified Q-tip could be so powerful. All hail the swab.
Respect your cervical health. Get a Pap test. It’s part of being a responsible cervix owner. Check your records to see when you last got one. If you’re 21–29, a Pap test is recommended every three years, so long as the test result is normal. If you’re 30–65, the same terms apply, but there are other options too: get an HPV test or an HPV test and a Pap test every five years, if results are normal. Your doctor will know which option is best for you.
If you’re like me and quarantine is making it hard to remember what you wore yesterday (did I wear pants?) let alone what happened three years ago, do yourself a favor and double check with your doctor’s office or your online portal, if you have that sort of thing. Luckily, I do, and I just checked my next Pap date (I’m 27) and I see that I’m due for one this May. Woo! It’s a date. Honestly, I love getting a Pap test. Sure, the speculum (the metal thing that spreads your vag open) looks a little like something that should not go in your body, but in it goes, then there’s the glorified Q-tip swab, then out goes the speculum, then done. Boom. So efficient. Responsible cervix owner box checked. Pat on the back (or down there) warranted.
As cervix owners, we can remind each other to respect, and be in control of, our cervical health. Cervix owners don’t let cervix owners go too long without screening. Just as you would ask a good friend or loved one when they last had a date or good poop (either are fair game, let’s be real), ask when they had their last Pap or HPV test. No biggie. But definitely need-to-know information. As if cervical health isn’t enough of an incentive to get screened, it’s a date to put on the calendar. I mean, how full is your social calendar these days?
Take a minute to check your own chart and share this post or the cute convo with your cervix I posted on Instagram. Solidarity in screening, fellow cervix owner.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 1987–2018.
Elam-Evans LD, Yankey D, Singleton JA, et al. National, Regional, State, and Selected Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescents Aged 13–17 Years — United States, 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1109–1116. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6933a1external icon
SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Cervical Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/cervix.html
