CervicalCancer Archives | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Who Should Get the HPV Vaccine?

by Dana-Farber Staff

Vaccination to protect girls and young women against the human papilloma virus (HPV) began in 2006 in the United States, and since then guidelines for who should receive the vaccine have been broadened: the HPV vaccine is now recommended for all young people. What is human papilloma virus (HPV)? HPV, which can cause cancer, is … Read more

What are Cancer Vaccines?

by Beth Dougherty

Cancer vaccines are a form of immunotherapy aimed at enhancing the immune system’s ability to recognize and attack cancer cells, or to protect against certain forms of cancer caused by viruses. Vaccine can help prevent some cancers There are two approved preventive vaccines directed against cancer-causing viruses. Vaccines against cancer-causing or other infectious microbes typically … Read more

The Link Between HPV and Cancer [Updated 2019]

by Dana-Farber Staff

Medically reviewed by Sarah Feldman, MD, MPH Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that can cause abnormal tissue growth and other changes to cells. It can be spread through skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity, and it can be carried by all sexes. There are over 100 different types (or strains) of the virus, which are … Read more

Gynecological Cancer Patients Find Safety, Solidarity in Support Group

by Dana-Farber Staff

Deb Petrishen says well-meaning but frustrating interactions can occur everywhere, from the grocery store to family functions. Although friends and loved ones are often sensitive and supportive, some may not know what to say to someone with stage III ovarian cancer, especially after two recurrences. Petrishen has just as much difficulty explaining her feelings. Except … Read more

What You Should Know About Cervical Cancer [Webchat]

by Dana-Farber Staff

Unlike many gynecologic cancers, there is a vaccination and screening test for cervical cancer, an important distinction in preventing and identifying the disease, according to Ursula Matulonis, MD, medical director of Gynecologic Oncology in Dana-Farber’s Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers, and Colleen Feltmate, MD, director of minimally invasive surgery in Gynecologic Oncology at … Read more

What Are AIDS-Related Cancers?

by Dana-Farber Staff

Medically reviewed by Charles Thomas, MS, MBA People infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or AIDS are more susceptible to certain types of cancer than people who are not infected. In fact, some types of cancers are so common in people with HIV that they are referred to as AIDS-related or AIDS-defining cancers – including … Read more

Fighting Women’s Cancers from Within

by Dana-Farber Staff

Traditionally, the war on cancer has been waged from the outside in, with therapies such as surgery, radiation, and drugs entering the body from external sources. For more than 100 years, however, a notion has persisted that the most formidable tool against cancer may come from within: the immune system. The immune system is the … Read more

If I’ve Had a Gynecologic Cancer, Can I Have Children?

by Dana-Farber Staff

Fertility is a common concern among newly diagnosed cancer patients. For women with gynecologic cancer, the ability to have children depends on the type of cancer a woman has and the stage at which it is diagnosed, says Colleen Feltmate, MD, director of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Gynecologic Oncology at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. … Read more

Cancer Conversations Podcast – Episode #6: Cervical Cancer Research, Treatment and Prevention

by Dana-Farber Staff

Although cervical cancer incidence and death rates have decreased thanks to regular screenings, thousands of women in the U.S. are still affected by the disease every year. In this Cancer Conversations podcast episode, Ursula Matulonis, MD, medical director of the Gynecologic Oncology Program in the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber, joins … Read more

Targeted Therapy, Immunotherapy Among Top Research Areas for Cervical Cancer

by Dana-Farber Staff

Cancers of the cervix are diagnosed in more than 12,000 women in the United States every year. Worldwide, the annual tally of new cases reaches more than half a million. The biggest advance against the disease in recent years has come in the area of prevention. Vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV) – two … Read more

Does an Abnormal Pap Smear Result Mean I’ll Get Cancer?

by Dana-Farber Staff

If you’re a woman age 21 to 65, you probably know that getting a Pap test is a part of routine health screenings. The test, usually taken every three years, is used to detect changes in the cells of the cervix that could lead to cervical cancer. But what does it mean when a Pap … Read more

What Are the Symptoms of Cervical Cancer?

by Dana-Farber Staff

Cervical cancer screenings, which typically include a pelvic exam and Pap smear, have significantly reduced the number of cervical cancer incidence and death rates in the United States. These screenings are especially important because symptoms of cervical cancer often go undetected until the disease is more advanced. “The vast majority of cervical cancers are early … Read more

Four Things to Know About Cancer Risk for Women

by Dana-Farber Staff

Here’s a closer look at five things to know about risk of breast cancer and gynecologic cancers, including cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. African American women are most likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age. Breast cancer usually occurs in women over age 55, but young women can also develop the … Read more

How Is Surgery Used to Treat Gynecologic Cancers?

by Dana-Farber Staff

Many associate cancer treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but for many women with gynecologic cancers, surgery is often the first line of defense. Colleen Feltmate, MD, director of minimally invasive surgery in gynecologic oncology at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC), shares insight into surgical options to treat these cancers. Minimally Invasive vs. Open … Read more

The Latest in Cervical Cancer Treatment, Research and Prevention

by Dana-Farber Staff

Although cervical cancer is relatively rare in the United States, approximately 11,000-12,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with the disease each year. Globally, that number grows to more than 500,000 diagnoses each year, making it the fourth most common women’s cancer worldwide. As January marks Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, the Susan F. Smith Center … Read more

Common Myths About the HPV Vaccine

by Dana-Farber Staff

When it comes to vaccines, particularly the HPV vaccine, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that girls and boys aged 11 or 12 years be vaccinated against HPV, the human papillomavirus, which can be spread during sexual activity and can cause cervical cancer in … Read more

Melanoma: Five Things You Need to Know

by Dana-Farber Staff

Although skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, melanoma accounts for less than 2 percent of all skin cancer cases. The disease is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Melanoma begins in the melanocytes, which are found on the lower part of the epidermis. The disease can occur anywhere on … Read more

DNA Test May Offer Alternative to Pap Smear

by Dana-Farber Staff

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel has recommended that a DNA test should be the primary screening tool for cervical cancer, rather than the traditional Pap smear. The DNA test detects the DNA of human papillomavirus (HPV), the sexually transmitted infection that causes almost all cases of cervical cancer.

“This is an important step forward for cervical cancer screening,” says Alexi Wright, MD, MPH, a medical oncologist in the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber. Specifically, the DNA test screens for HPV-16 and HPV-18, the two highest-risk HPV strains, as well as 12 other high-risk HPV types, using a blood sample.

Cervical Cancer Screenings: Five Things You Need to Know

by Dana-Farber Staff

As a result of women having regular cervical cancer screenings, incidence and death rates from the disease have decreased by at least 80 percent in the U.S. “Cervical cancer in the U.S. has become less of a frequently diagnosed cancer because of the institution of the Pap smear,” says Ursula Matulonis, MD, medical director of … Read more

When Should My Daughter Get Her First Pap Test?

by Dana-Farber Staff

By Sarah Feldman, MD, MPH

Healthy young women should get their first Pap test at age 21. If that test is normal, they should have additional Pap tests every three years. If they have symptoms such as abnormal bleeding or are found to have an abnormality on their cervix during an exam, they may need a diagnostic Pap for cervical cancer earlier. Immunosuppressed women should start Pap testing with the onset of sexual activity, then repeat annually.