cervical cancer

[trickytiger]

RunningMommy,

I could be wrong, but two types of HPV are responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancers (the viruses are labeled 14 and 16, I think). So, no, you do not have to have HPV to get cervical cancer, but it's most likely involved. Plus, the types of HPV that are linked to cancer are the ones that present no physical symptoms (like warts), so most women would have no idea that they were infected unless they were tested after a bad pap result.

[hellosunshine]

no this all happened feb 16th 2006!

yes,we are lucky in the UK the nat health system is 100% at times........



what also strikes me in how 100% lucky we are that we talk quite openly here,things id never discuss normally,there again as i mix in a male dominated sport i think ive only 2 female friends,so ta v muchy.xx to you all

[btchance]

Thanks trickytiger for helping to answer that question. I don't have time to type out some answers this morning but I will get to them this evening.

And RunningMommy - get your butt to the doctor to get that sonogram!!! Ovaries are not something to mess with. (you're not going to make me beg for you to go, are you ?)

[Crankin]

My best friend from childhood died from cervical cancer at age 21. Although I had moved away, I believe that she was diagnosed at age 15, and had a hysterectomy shortly after that (it had spread). I wouldn't care what people are insinuating about the link between sex and HPV/cancer. If I had a daughter, I would insist she get the vaccine.
It's amazing I have lived this long...

[bmccasland]

OK, I'll ask a dumb (?) question .. I've been getting Pap smears for years, doesn't this test for HPV? Have my annual physical in a couple of months and inquiring minds want to know.

(and yeah, I know, "there's no such thing as a dumb question".)

[SalsaMTB]

OK, I'll ask a dumb (?) question .. I've been getting Pap smears for years, doesn't this test for HPV? Have my annual physical in a couple of months and inquiring minds want to know.

(and yeah, I know, "there's no such thing as a dumb question".)

+1. I'm curious to know this also. I know very little about cervical cancer and HPV.

Also, for people in US, how does getting tested for HPV impact insurance coverage? Just curious, if you test positive, but don't have cancer and do nothing, then later get diagnosed with cancer, will insurance still cover treatment??

The reason I ask this is something I recall my mother telling me. I do not know if this is still true, so if someone knows it isn't, please correct me. A friend of the family has been fighting breast cancer. She carries one of the genes that makes you significantly more likely to get the cancer. She wanted her daughter to get tested for the gene, but her daughter was reluctant because if she were found positive for the gene, she would need to take preventative measures for breast cancer (ie preventative mastectomy), otherwise insurance would not cover treatment later on in life if she were to get breast cancer.

[Grog]

I hope BTChance will provide more enlightening details, but as someone who's been treated for weird stuff on my cervix I can give little info I have.

The pap smear does not test for HPV, it looks for abnormal cells on your cervix. If abnormal cells are found, a test for HPV will be made. However I don't think it matters that much whether the source of the abnormal cells is HPV or something else, it has to be treated anyway, and there is no way to take HPV outside of your body once it's there.

There is a new test around supposedly that is much better than the pap smear but I haven't experienced it personally and am not sure whether it's been approved for mass use.

Pap smears are not totally and do not catch everything. Which is why it is very important to get one every year so that you increase your chance of catching any problem early. Abnormal cells on your cervix, if let to their own nasty thing, might lead to cervical cancer and other cancers in that area. Sometimes they just disappear, too.

Where I'm from, "promiscuity" is not so much of an issue and few people freak out when teenagers have sex. I've always been told that early start of sexual activity is a risk factor. It makes sense: the longer you've had sex, the more chance you have of being exposed to the virus. I don't see it as a moral issue. I encourage you to do the same with your partners, friends, daughters. As others have mentioned, most women who are sexually active have been exposed to HPV. Not all will develop cancer as a result. But it's a virus that's basically omnipresent. Like, by the way, HSV (herpes) that is thought to be present in about 1/6 people if not more. Making it a shameful thing just prevents people from seeking treatment.

**

RM: GO GET THAT ULTRASOUND. NOW. You don't want to wait until the funny looking ovaries start behaving funny. If only for that reason: it HURTS terribly. (Think of a man being repeatedly kicked in the balls.......) And the earlier you get them to straighten their act - or are reassured about it - the better.

[Kitsune06]

People know entirely too little about entirely too much.

I'm with you, Knot- I'd like to add that I betya anything that said vaccine for men wouldn't cost $600 for a 3-shot round. We had a client come in and b*tch to my manager (just casual b*tching, my mgr used to be a nurse) that she has three daughters, all under 12, which is the age at which some states are actually *requiring* the immunization. $1800 for protection for her daughters? I Sh*t you not.

Regarding testing- I'd reccommend being tested during annual exams...

Oh, to have health insurance. And even then I don't know if it'd be covered.

I think part of why there isn't as much of a clamor for it is that people think of only promiscuous people picking this up. As stated before, 1 in 4 has a strain of some sort. Sh!t happens that's beyond our control. end of story. Protection is incredibly important.

Think of the sheer amount of healthcare costs that will be reduced when we manage to reduce the number of women who develop cervical cancer because of HPV? What a benefit that would be to society. How dare they charge so much? I know Merck has a policy for those under-funded, but it would likely prove very difficult, indeed, to manage that.

PABadger- Ok, I know it might be awhile before I can afford this, but seriously, yer makin' me nervous. Like I need to be *more* afraid of a vaccination!

[btchance]

RunningMommy,

I could be wrong, but two types of HPV are responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancers (the viruses are labeled 14 and 16, I think). So, no, you do not have to have HPV to get cervical cancer, but it's most likely involved. Plus, the types of HPV that are linked to cancer are the ones that present no physical symptoms (like warts), so most women would have no idea that they were infected unless they were tested after a bad pap result.

You're right, you don't have to have HPV to have cervical cancer. It's just that the majority of cervical ca is caused by HPV.

There are different types of HPV that cause different problems (think of them like dogs - different breeds, each with different characteristics but the same basic make-up)

The ones that cause cervical cancer are 16 (50% of all cancers), 18 (10- 12%), 31, 33, 45, 53, and 58 making up the rest. The ones that cause genital warts are 6 and 11 which make up 90% of warts.

The vaccine only contains 16, 18, 6, and 11. So you can see that it does not prevent you from getting cancer or warts; it only decreases your risk. What I'm afraid of is that all of these women will get the vaccine and will assume that they don't need Pap smears, which they absolutely still do need. There is all this talk about risk factors for cervical cancer, but the main one is no Pap smears or infrequent Pap smears - if you have you're yearly Pap smear done, the risk of the abnormal cells progressing to cancer before they are caught is extremely low. So keep getting your Paps even if you get the vaccine. (okay, I'll get off my soap box now. This is just a pet peeve of mine, not watching out for yourself)

I know there are some more questions and I'll get to those in a bit. I've got some studying to do before a certification test tomorrow. I hope this little bit has helped, and I'll keep trying with any questions you ladies have.

[KnottedYet]

My doc knocked my Pap smears down to once every two years. All this is making me think maybe I should go back to once a year.

[btchance]

My doc knocked my Pap smears down to once every two years. All this is making me think maybe I should go back to once a year.

The guidelines are that if you are in a stable relationship and have had 3 neg Pap smears in a row, and they use a certain type of Pap, then you can go to every 2 years. you still need a pelvic every year to check the ovaries and uterus, but Paps can be every 2 years.

Edited to add: actually, I'm going to have to go back and double check something here. I know you can definately go to every two years in this circumstances, but there may be some other times. I'll get back to you in a bit on this one.

[annisk2000]

for those of us without a cervix, you too can get HPV and cervical cancer. I know it sounds crazy, but the cancer can sit up high in the "pocket" left after your cervix is removed.

HPV is rampant among single adults and unfortunatly there is no test for men so they dont' even know if they are carriers. Cervical cancer caused by HPV is usually of a slow growing type. As long as you have regular PAP's, you are in good shape. Once you have a positive PAP from HPV, and you are showing signs of displasia or growths, they usually recommend being checked every 3 months until you have 3 good PAP's in a row. It's actually rare to die from the type of cancer caused by HPV because most women get regualr check ups and it's caught early.

So, if you are "active" and have had a hysterectomy, it's still important to get a PAP. Especially if you've had more than one partner over the course of time.

The worst part is trying to sit in your saddle in the drops after having a Culpo and biopsy.

[Raindrop]

I was treated for cervical cancer in my late twenties and at the time (1980's) I had thought it resulted from my IUD. Knowing what I have read now, I suspect it resulted from HPV even though I had been a virgin when I met my husband. As others have indicated, it doesn't matter if you haven't been active...my husband (now ex) certainly had before we were married, and unfortunately, while we were married .

After going through semi-annual pap smears for about six years...I now am only getting annual ones. If I had a daughter, I'd definately have her get the vaccine.

[Kitsune06]

...just wish the prices weren't so damm high. I wonder if they anticipate lowering the price for the course in light of the high demand?

Damn medical practices- any time a monopoly or necessity can be created, it's exploited for all it's worth. You want to argue this point with me, let's start on insulin. Profits should not be as much of a goal as they are in the medical world.

[btchance]

The guidelines are that if you are in a stable relationship and have had 3 neg Pap smears in a row, and they use a certain type of Pap, then you can go to every 2 years. you still need a pelvic every year to check the ovaries and uterus, but Paps can be every 2 years.

Edited to add: actually, I'm going to have to go back and double check something here. I know you can definately go to every two years in this circumstances, but there may be some other times. I'll get back to you in a bit on this one.

This is all correct. You can also do Paps every 2 years if a certain type of Pap is done (a thin prep), in comparision to the more traditional ones. As xeney pointed out, some doctors are not willing to do the every 2 years, and of course, any time you change partners, you need to be retested.