January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and the perfect time to consider a cervical cancer screening.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year in the United States, about 11,500 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed and about 4,000 women die.

Cervical cancer is preventable, and screening tests are critically important in early detection. If the disease is caught soon enough, cervical cancer can be removed or treated before it spreads and becomes life-altering. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that, when diagnosed at an early stage, the five-year survival rate for cervical cancer patients is 92%.

According to the United States Preventive Services Task Force, all women should get their first Pap test (or Pap smear) at age 21, followed by one every three years, to look for signs of cervical cancer. Starting at age 30, women have the option of the Pap/HPV (human papillomavirus) co-test to look for signs of cervical cancer or HPV infection. You can also have the HPV test alone every five years.

HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is responsible for nearly all cervical cancer cases in the U.S. To protect against the spread of HPV, the HPV vaccine series can be started for boys and girls as early as age 9 and can be administered until the age of 45.

Cervical cancer screenings and HPV vaccinations are available at Essentia Health. Schedule online at EssentiaHealth.org, through your MyChart account or by calling 1-844-663-1068.

More on the HPV vaccine

More than nine of every 10 cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV, and almost all cervical cancer can be prevented by vaccination. There’s a misconception that the vaccination is only for people who are sexually active, or that it’s merely to guard against HPV. But vaccination can prevent the pain and suffering that accompanies cancer. By making sure kids get the vaccine today, we can keep them safe later in life.