Cervical cancer

It's a disease that's easily detected, that's almost always curable, yet will be fatal to some 120 Hoosier women this year. What disease are we talking about? It's cervical cancer, a disease that's diagnosed in about 15,000 American women annually.

Like many forms of cancer, cervical cancer is most easily treated when it's detected early -- in fact cure rates are almost 100 percent when it's detected early. In fact, development of cervical cancer can be prevented by a regular exam called a Pap test, which can detect abnormal cells that can lead to cancer.

Current health guidelines say women who've reached the age of 18, or who are or have been sexually active, should have a regular pelvic exam with a Pap test. The test is simple, quick and painless, and women should have it at least once every three years.

The Indiana Breast and Cervical Cancer Program provides free Pap tests, as well as mammograms, to eligible women -- for more information call the Indiana Family Helpline at 1-800-433-0746.

February 9, 2002

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