Cervical Health Awareness Month offers a vital opportunity to highlight the importance of early detection, prevention and treatment of cervical conditions.
Cervical Health Awareness Month offers a vital opportunity to highlight the importance of early detection, prevention and treatment of cervical conditions. It also serves as a reminder that cervical cancer is almost completely preventable with a vaccine and highly treatable if caught early.
Unlike other parts of the female reproductive system, the cervix doesn’t get much attention. "The cervix is a part of the uterus," says Gregory Root, D.O., an obstetrician and gynecologist specializing in women’s health at INTEGRIS Health Canadian Valley Hospital in Yukon. "It is located at the end of the vagina and acts as the opening point into the uterus where sperm can travel to reach eggs and potentially lead to fertilization."
He adds, "The cervix has many functions. Probably the most important is its role in childbirth. The cervix is needed to prevent preterm labor and cue the body to dilate at the right time and enable a child to be born vaginally."
In the United States, the American Cancer Society estimated in 2024, approximately 14,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer were diagnosed, and about 4,300 women would succumb to the disease. Although cervical cancer is the deadliest female cancer worldwide, the U.S. death rate has declined 74 percent in the last 50 years.
The number of women diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer is low in the United States compared to other cancer types due to the widespread use of pap smears, which identify abnormal cells in the lining of the cervix before they turn cancerous.
Nearly all women diagnosed with cervical cancer have been infected with human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a common virus with many variations, which are all spread by skin-to-skin contact and can be passed from one person to another through unprotected sexual intercourse. According to the CDC, HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active women (and men) will get it at some point in their lives.
In most people, HPV will clear up on its own, except in about 10 percent of cases. Women among these 10 percent may develop a condition called cervical dysplasia, in which abnormal cell growth occurs on the surface lining of the cervix. Left unchecked, cervical dysplasia can develop into cervical cancer.
"If contracted, there is no pill or medication to rid your body of cancer-causing HPV,” explains Root. “Safe sex using the protection of a latex condom is of utmost importance."
Other risk factors associated with being at heightened exposure to cervical cancer include smoking and tobacco products, a weakening or compromised immune system, long-term use of contraceptives and family history.
Receiving regular pap smear screenings can reduce your risk of being diagnosed with cervical cancer and are a crucial part of your overall health against other diseases. Screening tests can identify precancerous changes in cervical cells, allowing for timely intervention before cancer develops.
Since HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer, receiving the vaccine is the body’s best line of defense for a cancer diagnosis later in life. The vaccine is approved for individuals aged 9 to 45 but is most effective if given to a person before they are sexually active.
“It’s so important,” Root explains. “The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend HPV vaccination of both girls and boys at ages 11 or 12 years and suggest that clinicians strongly recommend HPV vaccination for preteens and teens who have not yet been fully vaccinated.”
Unfortunately, despite its proven effectiveness, HPV vaccination rates in Oklahoma are low. "People still die every year in the state of Oklahoma from cervical cancer," Root says. "Reasons like under-vaccination, the unavailability of pap smear screening to low-income populations and non-compliance with screenings are often the cause."
Remember, no vaccine provides complete protection against all cancer-causing types of HPV, so a routine cervical cancer screening is still needed. If you don’t have a doctor or are looking for a new one, visit the INTEGRIS Health website for resources.
INTEGRIS Health is very proud of the women's health services we provide in the state of Oklahoma and beyond.
