Sep 2, 2008 5:53 pm US/Eastern
Women Have New Way To See If They Have HPV
WESTMINSTER, Md. (WJZ) ―
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You've probably heard about the vaccine that protects against human papiloma, the virus that causes cervical cancer.
WJZ
You've probably heard about the vaccine that protects against human papilloma, the virus that causes cervical cancer.
Healthwatch reporter Kellye Lynn reports while women over the age of 30 are not candidates for the vaccine, they should consider having the HPV test.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. In most cases, it doesn't present problems, but it can lead to genital warts and cancer. Now there's a simple way for women to find out if they have the forms of HPV that are associated with cervical cancer.
Tamika Felder found out she had cervical cancer after a routine physical seven years ago.
"I got my dream job. Everything was going great. This thing called cancer came in and knocked me down like a ton of bricks," Felder said.
What the then-25-year-old TV producer didn't immediately know was what caused this advanced form of cervical cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 11,000 women will be diagnosed with the disease this year, an illness caused by the human papilloma virus. That's a sexually transmitted infection that affects about 20 million Americans.
HPV will attack the cells that live on the cervix and they will cause changes in the cells on the cervix. Now women 30 and older can be tested for the forms of HPV that lead to cervical cancer.
"The HPV test is a DNA test that takes samples of cells from the cervix," said Dr. Imelda Udo.
The same cells obtained during a pap smear are analyzed for high risk HPV.
Dr. Udo says the standard pap smear is only 85% effective at detecting cervical abnormalities, but when combined with the HPV test, the effectiveness rises to 100%. It's a way to pick up the signs of cervical cancer early and give women a better shot at survival.
"I'm just blessed to be here because my cancer turned out to be advanced and I made it," Felder said.
Most insurance companies will cover the cost of the HPV test. Since there are some companies that don't pay for routine HPV testing, always check with your insurance company before having the test.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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