I’m going to write to you one more time about cervical cancer. I promise this is the last time, at least for 2025. But I feel compelled to talk to you about it again, because cervical cancer is a big deal.
It’s not the most common cancer. Cancers of the lung, breast, colon and prostate are much more common. It’s not the biggest killer, either. Approximately 4,310 women die each year from cervical cancer, compared to 130,580 who die from lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
kAm%96 }2E:@?2= r2?46C x?DE:EFE6 C2?<65 p=232>2 2D 92G:?8 E96 ?:?E9\9:896DE C2E6 @7 46CG:42= 42?46C :?4:56?46 :? E96 ?2E:@?] |@C6 EC@F3=:?8[ p=232>2 92D E96 E9:C5\9:896DE >@CE2=:EJ C2E6 7C@> E9:D 5:D62D6[ 244@C5:?8 E@ sC] (2C?6C wF9[ 2 8J?64@=@8:42= @?4@=@8:DE 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 p=232>2 2E q:C>:?892>] p3@FE b_ A6C46?E @7 H@>6? H9@ 4@?EC24E 46CG:42= 42?46C H:== 5:6]k^Am
kAmp?5 6G6CJ @?6 @7 E96D6 562E9D H2D AC6G6?E23=6]k^Am
kAm%92E’D H9J 46CG:42= 42?46C :D 2 3:8 562=]k^Am
kAm~A6C2E:@? (x!t~&% r6CG:42= r2?46C :D 2 DE2E6H:56 :?:E:2E:G6 E@ 42CCJ E9:D >6DD286 E@ 6G6CJ 4@C?6C @7 p=232>2] yFDE =2DE H66<[ H6 96=5 2 <:4<@77 6G6?E 2E E96 p=6I2?56C r:EJ |F?:4:A2= r6?E6C E@ EC2:? E96 =6256CD9:A @7 @FC =@42= @C82?:K2E:@?] }@H H6 ?665 ~A6C2E:@? (x!t~&% r92>A:@?D] *@F 42? G@=F?E66C E@ 364@>6 2 r92>A:@?] (6 H:== EC2:? J@F 2?5 AC@G:56 E96 AC6D6?E2E:@? E@@=D E@ 96=A J@F 364@>6 2? 25G@42E6 7@C 46CG:42= 42?46C 65F42E:@? :? %2==2A@@D2 2?5 r@@D2 4@F?E:6D]k^Am
kAm%96 EC2:?:?8 :D D:>A=6 3642FD6 E96 >6DD286 :D D:>A=6i (6 42? AC6G6?E 46CG:42= 42?46C] (6 42? D4C66? 7@C 46CG:42= 42?46C] p?5 H6 42? EC62E 46CG:42= 42?46C] }@ @?6 6=D6 92D E@ 5:6 7C@> E9:D 5:D62D6]k^Am
kAmr6CG:42= 42?46C :D 42FD65 3J E96 9F>2? A2A:==@>2G:CFD] p?5 3642FD6 :E :D 42FD65 3J 2 G:CFD[ :E 42? 36 6C25:42E65– ;FDE =:<6 D>2==A@I] $>2==A@I <:==65 2? 6DE:>2E65 b__ >:==:@? A6@A=6 :? E96 a_E9 46?EFCJ[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 (@C=5 w62=E9 ~C82?:K2E:@?] s@ J@F <?@H 9@H >2?J A6@A=6 5:65 7C@> D>2==A@I =2DE J62Cnk^Am
kAm}@E @?6] %92E’D 3642FD6 D>2==A@I H2D 6=:>:?2E65 :? `hfh E9C@F89 2 H@C=5H:56 G244:?2E:@? 42>A2:8?] %92E H2D 2=D@ E96 J62C @7 E96 =2DE 4@?7:C>65 42D6 @7 A@=:@ :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D]k^Am
kAm!@=:@ A2C2=JK65 @C <:==65 92=7 2 >:==:@? p>6C:42?D 6249 J62C :? E96 7:CDE 92=7 @7 E96 a_E9 46?EFCJ] %@52J[ E96 G:CFD 6I:DED :? E96 H:=5 :? @?=J EH@ 4@F?EC:6Di p7892?:DE2? 2?5 !2<:DE2?]k^Am
kAm(6 H:A65 @FE D>2==A@I] (6 2C6 @? E96 G6C86 @7 H:A:?8 @FE A@=:@] (6 42? 5@ E96 D2>6 H:E9 w!']k^Am
kAm*6D[ x’> E2=<:?8 23@FE G244:?2E:@?] &?7@CEF?2E6=J[ @FC 4@==64E:G6 6IA6C:6?46 H:E9 r~'xs\`h G244:?6D 92D @?=J 7F6=65 E96 2?E:\G244:?2E:@? >@G6>6?E :? @FC 4F=EFC6] qFE C6>6>36C E92E 6G6CJ G244:?6 :D 5:776C6?E] %96 w!' G244:?6 92D 2 DE6==2C C:D<\36?67:E C2E:@] x? `d J62CD @7 FE:=:K2E:@?[ E96 C2E6 @7 C6A@CE65 D:56 67764ED :D `]g A6C `__[___ 5@D6D] %96 >@DE 4@>>@? D:56 67764ED 2C6 A2:? 2?5 C65?6DD 2E E96 :?;64E:@? D:E6[ 96252496 2?5 5:KK:?6DD] %96D6 D:56 67764ED >2J @C >2J ?@E 36 5:C64E=J C6=2E65 E@ E96 G244:?6] u@C :?DE2?46[ E66?286CD @7E6? 72:?E ;FDE 7C@> D66:?8 E96 ?665=6–2?5[ x >FDE 4@?76DD[ x 92G6 E96 D2>6 C6DA@?D6 H:E9 6G6CJ D9@E x 86E]k^Am
kAm%9@D6 2C6 E96 C:D<D] %96 36?67:E :D ?@E 5J:?8 7C@> 46CG:42= 42?46C] ~C 2?2=[ A6?:=6[ @C2=[ G28:?2= @C GF=G2C 42?46CD[ H9:49 2C6 2=D@ 42FD65 3J w!'] *6E C6D62C496CD 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 $@FE9 p=232>2 7@F?5 E92E 76H6C E92? c_ A6C46?E @7 p=232>2 E66?D 286D `c E@ `g 92G6 C646:G65 E96 w!' G244:?6]k^Am
kAm'244:?2E:@? :D C64@>>6?565 7@C 3@JD 2?5 8:C=D 286D h E@ `c] %96 G244:?6 :D 2=D@ 2AAC@G65 7@C J@F?8 25F=ED 286D `d E9C@F89 ae] *@F 42? C646:G6 E96 G244:?6 E9C@F89 286 cd[ 3FE :ED 67764E:G6?6DD 5C@AD @77[ 3642FD6 E96 @55D @7 2=C625J 36:?8 :?764E65 H:E9 @?6 @C >@C6 @7 E96 `a 42C4:?@86?:4 DEC2:?D @7 w!' 2C6 >F49 9:896C :? E9:D 286 8C@FA]k^Am
kAm(92E 23@FE E9@D6 @7 FD H9@ 2C6 2 =:EE=6 @=56C E92? aen u@C FD[ E96 AC6G6?E:@? EC2:? 92D =67E E96 DE2E:@?] $@ H6 ?665 E@ 9@A @? E96 42?46C D4C66?:?8 EC2:?]k^Am
kAm(@>6? 286D a` E@ ah D9@F=5 92G6 2 !2A E6DE 6G6CJ E9C66 J62CD] (@>6? 286D b_ E@ ed D9@F=5 92G6 4@\E6DE:?8–3@E9 2 !2A D>62C 2?5 2? w!' E6DE–6G6CJ 7:G6 J62CD] #68F=2C D4C66?:?8 2==@HD J@FC 5@4E@C E@ :56?E:7J 2?5 C6>@G6 AC642?46C@FD =6D:@?D @? E96 46CG:I]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ @?6 @FE @7 7@FC H@>6? :? p=232>2 :D ?@E FA E@ 52E6 H:E9 D4C66?:?8[ AFEE:?8 E96> 2E C:D< 7@C 56G6=@A:?8 42?46C] %96C6 2C6 D6G6C2= 32CC:6CD E@ D4C66?:?8[ :?4=F5:?8 2446DD E@ 2 8J?64@=@8:DE[ EC2?DA@CE2E:@? 492==6?86D 2?5 :?DFC2?46 4@G6C286] x? p=232>2[ =24< @7 :?DFC2?46 D9@F=5 ?6G6C AC6G6?E 2 H@>2? 7C@> 86EE:?8 D4C66?65] %96 DE2E6 A2CE:4:A2E6D :? 2 ?2E:@?H:56[ rsr\DA@?D@C65 62C=J 56E64E:@? AC@8C2> E92E AC@G:56D D4C66?:?8 2?5 5:28?@DE:4 D6CG:46D 2E ?@ 4@DE E@ F?:?DFC65 H@>6?] %96 pqrrts! 92D AC6G6?E65 >@C6 E92? c[f__ 46CG:42= 42?46CD :? :ED b_ J62CD @7 D6CG:46]k^Am
kAmp=232>2 2=D@ A2CE:4:A2E6D :? E96 qC62DE 2?5 r6CG:42= r2?46C |65:42:5 AC@8C2>[ H9:49 AC@G:56D 2 72DE EC24< E@ |65:42:5 4@G6C286 7@C H@>6? H9@ 2C6 5:28?@D65 H:E9 3C62DE @C 46CG:42= 42?46C] $@ =24< @7 :?DFC2?46 D9@F=5 ?6G6C AC6G6?E 2 H@>2? 7C@> C646:G:?8 EC62E>6?E 7@C 46CG:42= 42?46C]k^Am
kAmx? D9@CE[ E96 >6DD286 @FC r92>A:@?D H:== 42CCJ E9C@F89@FE @FC 4@>>F?:EJ :D E92E 46CG:42= 42?46C 42? 36 AC6G6?E65 H:E9 G244:?2E:@? 2?5 C68F=2C D4C66?:?8–2?5 :E 42? 36 DF446DD7F==J EC62E65 :7 7@F?5 62C=J] {24< @7 :?DFC2?46 :D ?@E 2 32CC:6C[ 3642FD6 2== E9C66 4@>A@?6?ED–G244:?2E:@?[ D4C66?:?8 2?5 EC62E>6?E–2C6 2G2:=23=6 7C66 @7 492C86 :? p=232>2]k^Am
kAmx7 J@F H2?E E@ G@=F?E66C E@ 36 2 r92>A:@?[ 4@?E24E >6 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i8>:C2?52oCFDD6==>6546?E6C]4@>Qm8>:C2?52oCFDD6==>6546?E6C]4@>k^2m @C ade\bah\fadh]k^Am
kAmr@?E24E >6 2D H6== :7 J@F H@F=5 =:<6 2 r92>A:@? E@ DA62< E@ J@FC @C82?:K2E:@? @C 8C@FA]k^Am
kAm(6 H:== 8@ H96C6G6C H6’C6 :?G:E65–J@FC 82C56? 4=F3[ J@FC $F?52J D49@@= 4=2DD[ J@FC 5:??6C 4=F3[ J@FC D6CG:46 @C82?:K2E:@?[ 6G6? J@FC 324<C@@> A@<6C 82>6] (6’== 4@>6 2?JH96C6 H6’C6 H6=4@>6]k^Am
kAmpD 7@C >6[ x’== 36 E2=<:?8 23@FE ~A6C2E:@? (x!t~&% E@ 2?J@?6 H9@ H:== =:DE6?[ 2?5 6G6? E@ E9@D6 H9@ H@?’E] x7 J@F D66 >6 2AAC@249:?8 J@F :? E96 42??65 A62496D 2:D=6 2E !F3=:I[ H2E49 @FE]k^Am
kAm k^Am
kAmk6>mO v6@C86 |:C2?52 :D E96 5:C64E@C @7 E96 &pq |65:4:?6 – #FDD6== |65:42= r2?46C r6?E6C]k^6>mk^Am
