Protect Your Family from Cervical Cancer: What You Should Know

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, a time to focus on prevention, early detection, and treatment. Nearly all cervical cancer cases are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus spread by touch. 

The good news? There’s a safe and effective vaccine that can significantly lower the risk of cervical cancer. 

Dr. Rachel Wykes, a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist with Lee Physician Group, and Dr. Phillip Mote, a board-certified pediatrician with Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, explain why getting the HPV vaccine is important.

How HPV causes cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is almost always caused by HPV, a virus so common that most people will encounter it at some point in their lives. 

“This is a disease that is transmitted by touch. Your children will at some point touch another human,” Dr. Wykes says. 

Worldwide, the highest rates of cervical cancer and mortality are in low- and middle-income countries. These significant disparities exist due to limited access to national HPV vaccination, cervical cancer screening, treatment, and socioeconomic factors.

But in places where people have access to vaccines and screenings, cervical cancer is largely preventable.

“With access to vaccinations and screening, cervical cancer should be gone,” Dr. Wykes says. “While a PAP smear is a great screening tool for detecting precancers, the HPV vaccine can help prevent it.”

According to the CDC, the HPV test looks for the virus that can cause cell changes on the cervix. The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for precancers, which are cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they aren’t treated appropriately.

How the HPV vaccine helps prevent cancer

Pap smears are great for finding cervical cancer early, but they don’t stop it from developing. The HPV vaccine works by preventing the virus that causes it in the first place.

“We know all cervical cancer is caused by HPV,” Dr. Wykes says. “But not all HPV causes cervical cancer. We’ve really narrowed down those high-risk strains, and this vaccine helps prevent them.

“We can’t bubble wrap our kids, but we sure as heck can try to protect them from any preventable illness,” Dr. Wykes says about the importance of vaccination against HPV.

WATCH: Get to know Dr. Rachel Wykes

“The main reason we’re using a vaccine against it is that it’s one of two vaccines we have to prevent a virus that can cause cancer,” Dr. Mote notes. “The other vaccine is for hepatitis B, which can help prevent liver cancer.”

The HPV vaccine: Safe and effective

The HPV vaccine has been around since 2006 and has been safely used for over a decade. 

“We’ve been using it for so many years now that we don’t see a significant difference with that compared to, say, getting a tetanus shot,” Dr. Mote says.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends starting the HPV vaccine at ages 11 or 12, but children can receive it as early as age 9. 

Getting vaccinated early helps the body build strong immunity before coming into contact with the virus later in life, Dr. Mote explains.

“If we can protect you earlier and get that immunity in your body, then when you’re exposed to HPV, it can shield you from the cancer-causing strains during your adult years,” he says.

The vaccine doesn’t just protect individuals. It also reduces the spread of HPV in the community, which helps protect people who can’t get vaccinated. In addition to cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine can also prevent other types of cancer caused by the virus, including throat, anal, and genital cancers.

WATCH: Get to know Dr. Phillip Mote

Protecting your family: What you need to know

If you or your family haven’t been vaccinated against HPV yet, now is the perfect time to talk to your doctor about getting screened for HPV and, if necessary, vaccinated. 

• Who should get vaccinated? The CDC recommends the HPV vaccine for kids ages 11 or 12, but it’s also available for people up to age 45.
• Is it safe? The HPV vaccine has been thoroughly tested for years. It provides safe, effective, and long-lasting protection against cancers caused by HPV. Most side effects are mild, like a sore arm.
• Does it work? Yes, the vaccine is effective at preventing the types of HPV that cause most cervical and other cancers.

Join the fight against cervical cancer

Talk with your doctor today to see if an HPV test or Pap test screening tests are right for you. By vaccinating your children and staying informed, you can help eliminate cervical cancer. 

Need to find a Lee Health doctor? Go here.

Are you eligible for free or low-cost screenings?

CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services to women who have low incomes and are uninsured or underinsured.

Go here to learn more and see if you’re eligible.