The CDC released a new report suggesting that not enough women are being screened for cervical cancer, a disease that kills over 4,000 women a year.
The new Vital Signs report, released this month, says 11 percent of women ages 21 to 65 (about 8 million women) haven’t been screened for cervical cancer in five years. The percentage number is higher for women without a regular primary doctor or health insurance. That number is also higher for older women, Asians, Pacific Islanders, Alaskan natives, and American Indians.
Pap smears and HPV (human papillomavirus) screenings can help physicians detect cervical cancer in its early stages, before it’s too late. Studies suggest that the HPV vaccine could prevent around 93 percent of cases of cervical cancer. Most health organizations recommend women receive a pap smear every three years after the age of 21. Cancer organizations suggest that women between the ages of 30 and 65 should have both a pap smear and an HPV screening every five years.
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“Every visit to a provider can be an opportunity to prevent cervical cancer by making sure women are referred for screening appropriately,” CDC Principal Deputy Director Ileana Arias said in a statement Wednesday. “We must increase our efforts to make sure that all women understand the importance of getting screened for cervical cancer. No woman should die from cervical cancer.”