Actress Cote de Pablo
“I was busy working, traveling, and enjoying life. I completely forgot to pay attention to my health,” said actress Cote de Pablo. “Too much time passed since my last Pap.
“By the time I was tested, things didn’t look too good. We thought I might have cervical cancer.
“I was lucky! After lots of worries—no cancer.
“I’ve always been very close to my mother. When we finally got good results, she broke down. And that’s when I realized it’s not just about me. It’s about your loved ones, too. Get checked for cervical cancer.”
Screening Tests
Two tests help prevent cervical cancer or find it early—
The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for precancers, which are cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) test looks for the virus that can cause these cell changes.
HPV Vaccine
The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV that most often cause cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. HPV can also cause cancers of the penis in men, and anal and head and neck cancers in both men and women.
The HPV vaccine is recommended for boys and girls who are 11 to 12 years old, but can be given as early as age 9 and until age 26.
Make an appointment today for your or your child’s vaccination. If you don’t have insurance, or your insurance does not cover vaccines, CDC’s Vaccines for Children program may be able to help.
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This article was originally posted on cdc.gov.
