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Diagnosis and close follow up of the human papilloma virus decreases a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer later on in life, says a doctor at Baylor College of Medicine.
The HPV infection is associated with a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer, said Dr. Matthew Anderson, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and a gynecologic oncologist in the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center at BCM.
In some cases, the virus may clear on its own, and more frequent Pap smears allow physicians to make sure your system is eliminating the infection, Anderson said. However, other procedures may be needed as well, such as a colposcopy (an illuminated view of the cervix), small biopsies on the cervix or a loop electrosurgical excision procedure to remove a larger piece of tissue, Anderson explained.
Even after these procedures, it’s important to get follow-up Pap smears to determine whether or not the worrisome lesions have been eliminated and stay gone, Anderson said, decreasing the risk that these abnormal cells will turn into cancer.
Diagnosis and close follow up of the human papilloma virus decreases a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer later on in life, says a doctor at Baylor College of Medicine.
The HPV infection is associated with a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer, said Dr. Matthew Anderson, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and a gynecologic oncologist in the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center at BCM.
In some cases, the virus may clear on its own, and more frequent Pap smears allow physicians to make sure your system is eliminating the infection, Anderson said. However, other procedures may be needed as well, such as a colposcopy (an illuminated view of the cervix), small biopsies on the cervix or a loop electrosurgical excision procedure to remove a larger piece of tissue, Anderson explained.
Even after these procedures, it’s important to get follow-up Pap smears to determine whether or not the worrisome lesions have been eliminated and stay gone, Anderson said, decreasing the risk that these abnormal cells will turn into cancer.
