Amy “Sunshine” Rodriguez, 44, is a radio personality in West Hartford, Connecticut, who loves spending time at the shore enjoying the scenery and her family. The mother of two and grandmother of one found love at a young age and married her husband shortly after. Of the many tales to describe her “Sunshine” life, Rodriguez said she never thought a battle with cervical cancer would be among them.

Now a survivor of cervical cancer, she said she was “completely blindsided” when she was diagnosed. “When my gynecologist called my office to tell me the news, I just didn’t know what to say,” Rodriguez recalls. “I was shocked.”

Not too long ago, Rodriguez’s story would have been fairly common. Cervical cancer used to be the leading cause of cancer death among women. Today, however, it is one of the most preventable and rare cancers thanks largely to the introduction of the Pap test.

Even with the introduction of Pap testing, 12,000 women, like Rodriguez, are still diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. New changes in medical guidelines may leave some women confused about what to expect at their annual gynecological exams.

“For years, women were told ‘Get your Pap smear every year,’ and so they think that’s all they need. But now we know that many cases of cervical cancer are caused by some strains of human papillomavirus, also known as HPV,” explains Barbara Dehn, a well-known women’s health nurse practitioner and lecturer at Stanford University. “As such, screening for cervical cancer has evolved to include an HPV test in combination with a Pap test in women over 30, but women may not understand the importance of asking about both tests.”

When Rodriguez first heard and asked about HPV testing, she was told that she didn’t need the test because she had married young and her risk for developing an HPV infection — and therefore cervical cancer — was low, which is a common misconception. The reality is, having a long-term sexual partner cannot necessarily protect a woman from developing cervical cancer. It’s not uncommon for women or their partners to contract HPV from an earlier sexual encounter, with the virus remaining dormant for years without causing any problems. As many women often do, Rodriguez skipped her regular visit to her health care provider for a couple of years as she was healthy and young and didn’t think much of it. 

When Rodriguez did finally receive a Pap test after experiencing some symptoms, she was in disbelief when her results came back that she had cervical cancer. She resolved to not let the shock of her diagnosis or her subsequent surgeries and intensive treatments keep her down. She has committed herself to helping encourage women to take an active role in their cervical health.

“I decided during treatment that as long as I’m alive and have a voice, I need to help other women,” she says. “No woman should go through what I went through and, thankfully, no woman has to as long as she’s getting appropriate screening.”

What’s recommended today

Current “consensus guidelines” — screening recommendations created by a large group of recognized professional medical societies — recommend Pap+HPV Together as the preferred method for women ages 30 to 65. For women 21 to 29, guidelines recommend Pap-only testing.

The Pap and HPV tests contribute important and distinct information to understanding each woman’s risk of cervical cancer. Recent research shows that screening for cervical cancer with Pap+HPV Together detects more cancer and pre-cancer than either test used alone. Screening with HPV alone may put many women’s lives at risk.*

“There is a lot of information about HPV and cervical cancer out there, and that is why a dialogue about what tests you need during your exam is so important,” Dehn emphasized. “The bottom line is that co-testing with Pap and HPV tests at the same time provides the best possible protection against cervical cancer in women over 30. And, just one sample is taken for the lab to screen with both tests.”

Rodriguez also noted the power of having an informed discussion with a health care provider about screening options.

“I can’t tell you how important it is to educate yourself on all of your options and what you need, even if it seems a little confusing,” she says. “’You have cervical cancer’ is a scary phrase for any woman to stomach. Effective screening can help ensure fewer women have to.” 

To learn more about screening with Pap+HPV Together, visit PapPlusHPV.com.

* A positive HPV screening result may lead to further evaluation with cytology and/or colposcopy.

*BPT

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On most days, I feel like the average stay at home mom. I am in my early thirties raising two little girls while my husband goes out to battle his way through the corporate world. Together, we run a well oiled machine that is on the go from the early hours of the morning until very late at night. We all have good health and pass our annual physicals with flying colors. Like a lot of other young, healthy moms out there, the only day-to-day worry is keeping the busy schedules going. This was true for me up until a few months ago. While attending a mommy and me class with other young moms much like me, I had the opportunity to befriend one that was a true, bona fide supermom. She was helping her husband start his own company working from home while raising a total of seven children and loving every minute of it. She seemed invincible. She was not. She was diagnosed with cancer.

As with most people, it was unexpected. By the time she began treatment, it had begun to spread from her stomach to her back. It was painful to see her health begin to deteriorate and see the effect this had on her family, especially the seven children that depended on her daily care and love. Her fate is uncertain. My heart breaks for her and her family. I had never met someone with cancer on a personal level. The disease had never touched anyone in my family or close circle of friends. It had always been pink ribbons for support and inspirational stories on television. Now, however, it was here and it was tearing at the core of who I am. I am a mom who needs to be healthy to care for my children and a wife that longs to share a lifetime with her husband. What about my daughters? This disease looms over all of us. We need to take a stand and take action for ourselves and for our loved ones. The first question most women have is, “Am I at risk for Breast Cancer?” The answer is yes; all women are at risk for breast cancer. Being a woman is the number one risk factor for breast cancer. Your breast cancer risk increases as you get older. Most women who get breast cancer have no other known risk factors.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS FROM THE SUSAN G. KOMEN FOUNDATION TO HELP YOU GET STARTED ON YOUR MISSION OF TAKING CARE OF YOUR LIFE:

Know your risk

• Talk to your family to learn about your family health history.

• Talk to your health care provider about your personal risk of breast cancer.

Get screened

• Ask your health care provider which screening tests are right for you if you are at a higher risk

• Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you are at average risk

• Have a clinical breast exam at least every three years starting at 20, and every year starting at 40

Know what is normal for you

• Tell your health care provider right away if you notice a change in the way your breasts look or feel.

Make healthy lifestyle choices

• Maintain a healthy weight.

• Add exercise into your routine.

• Limit alcohol intake.

• Breastfeed if you can.

Once you’re on track with your own health, get involved in the ongoing fight against cancer. Organizations like the Susan G. Komen foundation provide a wide range of opportunities for all levels of community involvement:

• Fitness events, such as the Komen Race for the Cure (5K), Marathon for the Cure (13.1/26.2 miles) or the 3 Day for the cure (60 mile walk)

• Variety of local events through individual Komen affiliates

• Passionately Pink for the Cure, a creative way to engage friends, classmates and coworkers

• Public policy activities through the Komen Advocacy Alliance

• Products and promotions offered by corporate partners that support our cause

• Direct donation by phone, mail or online

Cancer may seem like a colossal adversary too powerful to be conquered, but if there is unity in this fight then there is hope. We have a responsibility to take action not just for ourselves and our families, but also for the millions of women out there that are just like us. Let’s help spread cancer awareness and join together in order to truly make a difference for this generation and those to come.

For more resources and ways you can get involved visit: ww5.komen.org

Article by Patty Mendoza

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