Three Important Things to Know About Cervical Cancer

As you may be aware, the links between HPV and cervical cancer were actually hypothesized decades ago. At that time, women had very few choices with this virus when it came to avoiding infection. Fortunately, modern women can easily take advantage of immunizations, as well as early detection methods for cervical cancer. This is especially important to consider for girls who have not yet become sexually active, as well as older women who want to avoid cervical cancer.

Avoiding and Preventing HPV

Even though you may want your children to grow up and raise families of their own, it will always be a struggle to come to terms with accepting this stage of development. On the other hand, a number of people start out in life without considering the fact that they may wind up in a relationship where one, or both, partners have past sexual experiences with other people. Under these circumstances, it becomes virtually impossible to prevent the spread of HPV from one person to another. While you may not like the moral implications of these issues, you still need to consider the long term health consequences. At the very least, if you have daughters in their teen years, you should seriously consider letting them decide whether, or not, they want the HPV vaccine.

Contraceptives, Early Detection, and Cervical Cancer

Many women who use birth control pills end up thinking that their partners no longer needs to use a condom. No matter how much you may want to trust your partner, this can easily leave you vulnerable to HPV; right along with any other STD's that your partner may pick up from someone else. In a similar way, if you use a diaphragm, IUD, or other birth control methods that do not prevent the flow of bodily fluids, you will always be at risk from HPV. Needless to say, the situation becomes even more complicated if you decide to have children with your partner.

If you find yourself in a situation where condom usage is not possible, you should always ensure that you stay up- to- date on pap smears and other forms of cervical cancer testing. It is also very important to stay informed about newer testing methods, as well as the signs and symptoms of cervical cancer. As may be expected, if you have genital warts, you may want to have pap smears done more often.

Cervical Cancer Treatments

As with many other cancers, prevention, early detection, and viable treatment methods can easily cause a significant reduction in suffering and death. These are just one of many reasons why it is so important to consider all of your options, before you agree to a specific treatment method. For example, you should always keep abreast of newer drugs that are being released on an experimental basis, as well as therapies that include diet modification and other lifestyle changes.

If you are afraid of a cancer diagnosis, it is important to talk to people who have it, and are undergoing treatment. Many will tell you that cancer does not change their lives for the worse. You will find many brave people who open themselves to life and experience things that they never thought they would. In many cases, they find a level of personal satisfaction that they never had before. Contrary to popular belief, life does not end when you are diagnosed with cancer. For some, it is when their life truly begins.