Cancer Risk: Understanding the Puzzle

Cervical Cancer - Step 3: Take Action To Reduce Your Cervical Cancer Risk

While no one can say you will never get cancer, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk. Screening is a way to check for cancer when there are no symptoms. A very effective screening test is available for cervical cancer-the Pap test. Having regular Pap tests throughout your life can help prevent cervical cancer by finding cell changes in the cervix before they lead to cancer.

What You Can Do

The Pap test finds cell changes in the cervix before they lead to cancer. Have regular Pap tests throughout your life. This is the most important step you can take to prevent cervical cancer.

Find out more:
Screening tests for cervical cancer Follow-up tests and treatments for abnormal Pap tests	Screening guidelines for cervical cancer Symptoms of cervical cancer

Cervical Cancer Risk Reduction Action Tool
Below are risk factors for cervical cancer. Select the ones you want to work on and to put on your risk reduction list. After you build your list, you can print it out and take it to your doctor to discuss your action plan.

Cervical Cancer Risk Factor	What Can I Do To Reduce This Risk?	Select Items To Put On My Risk Reduction Action List
Human papillomaviruses (HPVs)	Get a Pap test at least once every 3 years to check for cell changes from HPV or other causes before they lead to cancer. Start getting Pap tests about 3 years after you begin to have sexual intercourse. If you are not sexually active, you should have your first Pap test by age 21.
Lack of regular Pap tests	Get regular Pap tests. Cervical cancer is more common among women who do not have regular Pap tests. Experts recommend waiting about 3 years after the start of sexual activity to begin having regular Pap tests. This will avoid over-treatment for common, temporary, and/or abnormal changes. It is safe to wait 3 years, because cervical cancer usually develops slowly. After the waiting period, you should continue to have Pap tests every 3 years, unless your health care provider recommends another schedule. If you are not sexually active, you should begin having regular Pap tests at age 21. If you are 65 to70 years old and have had at least 3 normal Pap tests and no abnormal Pap tests in the last 10 years, you and your health care provider may decide that you can stop having Pap tests. If you have had a hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus and cervix) you do not need to have a Pap test, unless the surgery was done as a treatment for precancer or cancer.
Weakened immune system	If your immune system is weakened from HIV or from taking drugs that suppress the immune system, you have a higher-than-average risk of developing cervical cancer. In these circumstances, talk to your doctor about his or her recommendations for a regular screening schedule for cervical cancer.
Age	You cannot change your age. However, if you know that the risk of cervical cancer increases as you grow older, you can make sure that you have regular Pap tests.
Sexual history	You can change your sexual practices, but there is no way to change your sexual history or that of your partner(s). The use of barrier methods of birth control and/or gels that kill sperm do not completely protect against sexually transmitted diseases, such as HPV infection. You should continue to follow the guidelines for getting Pap tests.
Smoking cigarettes	Quit! Quitting will not prevent cervical cancer, but it will help reduce your risk. It also will reduce your risk for many other diseases.
Using birth control pills for a long time	You may want to talk to your health care provider if you have been using birth control pills for 5 or more years. Ask if it's safe to continue taking the pills. You need to know that the use of birth control pills for more than 5 years increases your risk for cervical cancer.
Having many children	Talk to your health care provider about how often you should schedule Pap tests.
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure	Tell your health care provider if you were born between 1940 and 1971 and your mother was treated with DES when she was pregnant with you. Be sure to follow his or her instructions for care.