Tennessee Task Force Aims to Eliminate Cervical Cancer

Education, Immunization and Screening for Early Detection will Reduce Cervical Cancer Deaths and Prevalence

The Tennessee Cervical Cancer Elimination Task Force has announced the ambitious goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040 by raising public awareness of cervical cancer screening, researching the prevalence and burden of the disease in Tennessee and promoting strategies to provide affordable access to the new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that prevents the infection that causes most cervical cancer.

“Most of the time, cervical cancer is preventable,” said Health Commissioner Kenneth S. Robinson, M.D. “Use of the highly effective new cervical cancer vaccine coupled with regular screening for early detection make elimination of cervical cancer in Tennessee possible.”

Sponsored by Representative Beverly Marrero and Former Senator Kathryn Bowers, the legislation to create the Task Force was passed by the General Assembly in 2006. The Task Force is a subcommittee of the Tennessee Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition, the goal of which is to reduce the cancer burden in the State of Tennessee. The Task Force will specifically address cervical cancer through a plan that details how to eliminate the disease.

“One of the first duties of the Task Force is to review research and data on how widespread cervical cancer is and what the detriment is to our state,” said Chairperson Stephan Foster, Pharm. D., Associate Professor, UT College of Pharmacy. “Then we can develop targeted strategies to educate and protect our citizens against this disease.”

According to the Office of Cancer Surveillance, about 330 cervical cancer cases are diagnosed in Tennessee annually, with one-third resulting in death. In 2005, 108 Tennessee women died from cervical cancer.

Almost all cervical cancer is caused by a few types of HPV, a very common sexually transmitted disease that often has no symptoms. The vaccine, Gardasil®, is recommended for all women aged 11 to 26 years old, and prevents (but cannot cure) infection with the two types of HPV that cause 70 percent of cervical cancer. It also protects against two other types of HPV that cause abnormal Pap tests and 90 percent of genital warts. Other risk factors for developing cervical cancer include a family history of cervical cancer, smoking and older age. Women of all ages can reduce their risk by practicing safer sexual behavior and having Pap tests at least once every three years to identify early cervical changes that could become cancerous if untreated.

January is Cervical Health Month. For more information about the observance, please visit www.nccc-online.org/awareness.php, or for information about cervical health and programs in Tennessee, go to http://www2.state.tn.us/health/BCC/cervical_health.htm.

Information about the Tennessee Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition is available at http://www2.state.tn.us/health/CCCP/index.htm.