SALEM, Va. – January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and research shows that late-stage cervical cancer appears to be on the rise.
Experts said the disease is preventable in many cases if caught early enough. Pap smears every three years, yearly check-ups and screenings are key to catching cervical cancer early.
Early stages of cervical cancer don’t usually involve symptoms and can be hard to detect, making routine pap smears extremely important.
The test can help identify any abnormal cells.
“If cervical screenings are done, free cancerous cells, or cervical cancer in early stages can be caught, and it’s very treatable and very survivable, but if you miss those screening appointments, people can die. It’s very serious,” Kris Conrad, Director of Midwifery at LewisGale said.
Conrad said the HPV vaccine is also crucial for prevention.