Louisiana has one of the highest cervical cancer death rates in the country – and that’s from a largely preventable disease! Regular screening, plus the HPV vaccine – which stops it and other cancers in both women and men – can wipe the disease out.
No one should ever die from cervical cancer, which is why we provide no-cost Pap tests to Louisiana women who qualify. We also educate people at all levels – including parents, doctors, the general public and more – to make sure boys and girls are getting the HPV vaccine to prevent cancers (including cervical) after they’re grown.
The Louisiana Breast and Cervical Health Program (LBCHP) provides no-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings (including mammograms and Pap tests) to Louisiana women who qualify.
If you are uninsured, cannot afford the copay, lack transportation, or face a barrier of any kind, please contact us. Our patient navigators are standing by to help. Visit the site for more information and to find out if you are eligible.
One of the best and easiest ways to fight cervical cancer (and other HPV-related cancers) is the HPV vaccine. Now that we have a vaccine that actually prevents cancer, LCP is working in a variety of ways to make people – whether its parents, medical providers, the general public and more – understand how important it is for girls and boys to get the HPV vaccine.
These efforts include:
Cervical cancer is easy to catch in its early (precancerous) stage. Regular screening is the best way to find the cancer early.
That means too many women aren’t getting screened. Encourage all the women in your life to get screened regularly.
And should be screened regularly after. Symptoms of cervical cancer don’t usually show until the cancer is in a later stage. It is important that women start getting screened at age 21 and continue getting screened through age 64. Experts differ on exactly how often a woman should get screened, but Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (our major funder) says the following:
If you would like to see other health organization guidelines on cervical cancer screening, download this PDF from CDC.
Both men and women are affected by the types of cancer HPV can cause. Vaccinating your child is the easiest way to prevent those cancers.
HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses that are transmitted through intimate skin-to-skin contact.
HPV is so common that nearly all men and women get it at some point in their lives. While most people will never know they have it, in others the HPV virus can lead to cancer. About 14 million people, including teens, become infected with HPV each year.
Cancers caused by HPV include:
Several thousand U.S. men and women are diagnosed with an HPV-related cancer each year.
For women – a Pap test can detect most cases of cervical cancer. However, at this time, there is no routine screening or test for other HPV-related cancers, in women or men. That’s why it’s so important to prevent infection with HPV vaccination.
It is the only vaccine available today that actually prevents cancer.
Like other vaccines, the HPV vaccine is given to children to get the best immunological response. This also ensures they are protected before they ever have sex. The HPV vaccine is recommended for girls, age 11-26 and boys, age 11-21, who have not yet been vaccinated. If your daughter or son hasn’t started or didn’t finish the HPV vaccine series – it’s not too late. Talk to their doctor now.
Every five years, we partner with other state health organizations to produce the Louisiana Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan (aka “The State Cancer Plan”). This extensive document contains statistics on preventable cancers, as well as screening recommendations, goals, objectives, and strategies to beat cancer. Download a copy here.
Want to see cervical cancer data specific to Louisiana? Our fellow organization, The Louisiana Tumor Registry (LTR) is one of the top-ranked cancer registries in the United States. It is housed at the LSU Health New Orleans School of Public Health (right alongside us here at LCP). The data they provide helps us better understand these diseases. It also becomes part of the national cancer statistics – which help determine funding, policy, and research. Visit their site to learn more.
LHCCs are grassroots organizations working locally to help communities make healthy choices. Chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are what most people die of – and tobacco use and obesity are the leading causes of chronic disease. Louisiana communities are deciding for themselves how they want to fight chronic disease and we are there to help. LCP provides resources to these grassroots organizations, whether they’re trying to go smoke-free or creating more bike lanes. Learn More on the Louisiana Healthy Communities Coalition site.
We make sure women who qualify get no-cost mammograms and the help they need to get screened (including financial help and transportation). We also provide online support to young breast cancer survivors and their caregivers. In addition, we educate women, providers, legislators, and others around the state to beat breast cancer in Louisiana.
Learn MoreNo one should ever die from cervical cancer, which is why we provide no-cost Pap tests to Louisiana women who qualify. We also educate people at all levels – including parents, doctors, the general public and more – to make sure boys and girls are getting the HPV vaccine to prevent cancers (including cervical) after they’re grown.
Learn MoreCatch colorectal cancer early and it’s more than 90% survivable. That’s why everyone 45 and over should be screened. But Louisiana has a special problem with the disease and that is why everyone should learn why we are more vulnerable and what we at LCP are doing about it.
Learn MoreLung cancer is the easiest cancer to prevent. So why is it the #1 cancer killer in Louisiana? More than 80% of lung cancers are caused by smoking, and that includes those killed by secondhand smoke. Learn how to quit, the dangers of secondhand smoke and e-cigs, and what we can do to save ourselves!
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