CERVICAL CANCER

Course overview

CERVICAL CANCER, THE FOURTH MOST COMMON CANCER AMONG WOMEN WORLDWIDE, IS CAUSED ALMOST ENTIRELY BY HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV). HIGH-RISK TYPES OF HPV CAN LEAD TO CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELIAL LESIONS WHICH, OVER TIME, CAN PROGRESS TO CERVICAL CANCER. IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, MOST SCREENING AND EARLY DETECTION EFFORTS INVOLVE HPV TESTING AND PAPANICOLAOU (PAP) SMEARS. HPV TESTING IDENTIFIES EXPOSURE TO BOTH LOW- AND HIGH-RISK TYPES OF HPV, WHEREAS PAP SMEARS IDENTIFY ABNORMAL CYTOLOGY.CERVICAL CANCER IS A LARGELY PREVENTABLE DISEASE. PRIMARY PREVENTION AND SCREENING ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE MODALITIES FOR DECREASING THE HEALTHCARE BURDEN AND MORTALITY ATTRIBUTABLE TO CERVICAL CANCER. SINCE 2006, HPV VACCINATION HAS BEEN AVAILABLE TO PREVENT CERVICAL CANCER. INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS MUST EDUCATE YOUNG FEMALE PATIENTS (IDEALLY, PRIOR TO INITIATING SEXUAL ACTIVITY) AND THEIR FAMILIES ABOUT THIS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE VACCINE. THIS ACTIVITY DETAILS PRIMARY PREVENTION STRATEGIES, SCREENING GUIDELINES, DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATIONS, CURRENT STAGING, AND SPECIFIC TREATMENT MODALITIES FOR INVASIVE CERVICAL CANCER.