Download To Your Health In this Issue

January
2012
Volume 3
Issue 1
To Your Health
To Your Health is brought to you by
University of Illinois Extension in Cook County.
Cervical Cancer
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
The Cervix
The cervix is located in a woman’s body and
connects the uterus to the vagina. The cervix gets
wider when a woman has her period to let blood
pass into the vagina and outside of the body. The
cervix also supports the weight of a baby when a
woman is pregnant.
In this Issue
Statistics
1
Risk factors
1
More about HPV
2
Risk Factors
Risk factors are things that increase a person’s chance
of getting a disease. Risk factors for cervical cancer
include:
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection

HPV infection is the most important risk factor for
cervical cancer. See page 2 for more details.
Not getting Pap tests

Pap tests take a look at the cells of the cervix.
Women with low income may not have easy
access to such a test.
Cervical Cancer
In a healthy woman, cells on the cervix grow and
divide in an orderly way. When a woman has cervical
cancer, abnormal cells grow out of control, keep
dividing, and can invade other organs.
Smoking

Women who smoke are twice as likely to get
cervical cancer than non-smokers. Smoking
changes the cells in the cervix and may make a
woman less able to fight HPV infection.
Sexual history

Women with many sexual partners, or who have
sex with men who have had many sexual partners,
have a higher risk of getting HPV which is the main
risk factor for cervical cancer.
Birth control pills

The risk for cervical cancer goes up the longer a
woman takes the birth control pill. But, the risk
goes down after she stops taking birth control pills.
Cervical Cancer by the Numbers
In 2011, it is estimated that there were 12,710 new
cases of cervical cancer with 4,290 deaths from
cervical cancer. Latinas are more likely to be
diagnosed with cervical cancer than African American
or white women. However, African American women
have the highest death rate from cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is most common in women who are 30
years of age or older.
Diet

Overweight women and women with diets low in
fruits and vegetables may be at an increased risk
for cervical cancer.
Other risk factors include young age at first full
pregnancy, multiple full term pregnancies, infection
with chlamydia, and a family history of cervical cancer.
University of Illinois * U.S. Department of Agriculture * Local Extension Councils Cooperating
University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.
CHECK THIS OUT!
Community Health is on the web!
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/cook/commhealth.html
University of Illinois Extension
Cook County
2205 Enterprise Drive
Suite 501
Westchester, IL
60154
Tel: 708-449-4320
Fax: 708-492-1805
Email: [email protected]
Sources
http://bubbatajourney.blogspot.com/2011/08/beautiful-cervix.html
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/statistics/
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/cervical
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/disparities/cancer-health-disparities
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/cervix/page4
http://www.cancer.org/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/HPV/print
American Cancer Society
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Human Papillomavirus
(HPV)
Fact: There are 40 types of HPV that can be sexually transmitted.
HPV Infection
The Pap Test

Genital HPV infection (HPV on your sex

If you are a woman who is 21 or older, be
organs) is common and can spread
sure to see your doctor for a Pap test. The
through sexual contact. There are
Pap test looks for abnormal cells caused
different types of genital HPV. Some
by HPV on your cervix (see page 1). Your
types can cause warts on your sex
doctor will tell you how often you should
organs. This is low-risk HPV and does not
get your Pap test. There is no sure way to
cause cancer. Only high-risk types of
test men for HPV.
HPV can cause cancer. These types can
occur on a woman’s cervix. (See page 1)  To learn if you qualify for a free or low-cost
Pap test and where to get screened, call
1-888-522-1282.

Most genital HPV infections, both high risk
and low risk types, go away on their own
HPV Vaccines
within a few years.

There are two vaccines (shots) available
to protect young men and women against

Many people with genital HPV don’t know
some types of HPV. Talk to your doctor
they have it because they don’t see or feel
about whether the HPV vaccine is right for
any changes. That’s why it is so important
you.
for women to get their Pap test.