Cervical cancer is still a threat, and screening saves lives
By Roberta Cannon, RN
Eileen Duffey-Lind MSN, RN, CPNP, a pediatric oncology nurse practitioner who lives in Falmouth, knows firsthand what it is like to lose a loved one to cancer. Her sister, Maureen Duffey Russo, died December 15, 2006, from cervical cancer.
She turned her grief into helping others by creating Team Maureen, a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to end cervical cancer, educate others about the human papillomavirus (HPV) cancer connection, and stress the importance of prevention and early detection.
I had the opportunity to meet with Duffey-Lind recently on the 17th anniversary of her sister’s death to talk about the inroads, positive changes, and creativity Team Maureen has used to spread the word about HPV-related cancers.
The organization has seen many successes over the past few years, including the decrease in cervical cancer rates across the United States and the increase in vaccination rates.
Cervical cancer used to be a leading cause of cancer death in women in the United States, according to the American Association for Cancer Research. While the number has been reduced greatly with screening and prevention, approximately 13,960 women in the United States were projected to be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2023 and an estimated 4,310 would die from this cancer according to the National Cancer Institute.
More Work to Do
Even though these are important milestones, Duffey-Lind knows there is more work to be done.
She is encouraged by the 2022 statistics that now show an upward trend of vaccinations and screening and she is hopeful the recovery will continue.
“While the vaccine is a huge piece that contributes to the decrease in cancer numbers, screening is also important,” said Duffey-Lind.
Tara Chute, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist with Cape Cod Hospital OB/GYN agrees.
“The HPV vaccine and screening are the most important parts of preventing cervical cancer, beginning at a young age,” she said. “We encourage adolescents to start getting the HPV vaccine, Gardasil, around age 11 but it can begin at age 9. Screening guidelines suggest women start getting PAP smears at the age of 21 regardless of sexual activity.”
Changes in HPV Vaccine and Cervical Screening Guidelines
“While the HPV vaccine was initially approved up to age 26, in the last several years, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved the HPV vaccine from ages 27 to 45,” said Dr. Chute. “Two reasons for changes in the eligibility guideline is to vaccinate women in this age group who may not have received the vaccine, and for women who haven’t been exposed to the virus, the vaccine is very effective at targeting high-risk HPV strains. It is important for women in this age bracket to discuss the appropriateness of getting the vaccine with their provider in a shared decision-making conversation.”
“In the past, women began screenings with PAP smears when they became sexually active,” said Dr. Chute. “Now, we start screening with PAP smears at 21 and then every three years until they reach 30. After that, PAP smears are done every three to five years until about age 65.”
Dr. Chute stresses the importance of women continuing their screenings after menopause.
“The cervical cancers I have diagnosed are almost always in women who haven’t been seen in years for a gynecological checkup,” said Dr. Chute. “Typically, they tell me they thought they didn’t need to see a gynecologist after they were done with childbearing. If they have their checkups, we can catch pre-cancerous lesions early, and get rid of them so they don’t progress to cancer.”
Educating the Public
Team Maureen continues their efforts to educate everyone about HPV, the importance of screening and vaccinations as well as HPV’s connection to various types of cancer. While cervical cancer is the most common HPV-associated cancer in women/people with a cervix, oropharyngeal (throat, base of the tongue and tonsils) cancer is most common in men according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Team Maureen’s outreach includes the following:
The organization now participates on several national boards also including:
In January 2024, the organization was invited to the Cervical Cancer Forum in Washington, DC hosted by President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot team to acknowledge Cervical Cancer Awareness Month (January) and highlight the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to ending cervical cancer. Team Maureen was one of 80 participants.
Duffey-Lind is grateful for all the support the organization receives, including from Cape Cod Healthcare.
“Cape Cod Healthcare's overall support of our endeavors, along with financial support for education and literature and access to providers, has opened tremendous opportunities to educate everyone we can about HPV,” said Duffey-Lind. “Their support allows us to be innovative and creative in spreading the message that HPV causes cancer and 90 percent of HPV-related cancer is preventable.”
View Physician Profile
Originally published on Cape Cod Health News, June 18, 2024
She turned her grief into helping others by creating Team Maureen, a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to end cervical cancer, educate others about the human papillomavirus (HPV) cancer connection, and stress the importance of prevention and early detection.
I had the opportunity to meet with Duffey-Lind recently on the 17th anniversary of her sister’s death to talk about the inroads, positive changes, and creativity Team Maureen has used to spread the word about HPV-related cancers.
The organization has seen many successes over the past few years, including the decrease in cervical cancer rates across the United States and the increase in vaccination rates.
Cervical cancer used to be a leading cause of cancer death in women in the United States, according to the American Association for Cancer Research. While the number has been reduced greatly with screening and prevention, approximately 13,960 women in the United States were projected to be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2023 and an estimated 4,310 would die from this cancer according to the National Cancer Institute.
More Work to Do
Even though these are important milestones, Duffey-Lind knows there is more work to be done.
She is encouraged by the 2022 statistics that now show an upward trend of vaccinations and screening and she is hopeful the recovery will continue.
“While the vaccine is a huge piece that contributes to the decrease in cancer numbers, screening is also important,” said Duffey-Lind.
Tara Chute, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist with Cape Cod Hospital OB/GYN agrees.
“The HPV vaccine and screening are the most important parts of preventing cervical cancer, beginning at a young age,” she said. “We encourage adolescents to start getting the HPV vaccine, Gardasil, around age 11 but it can begin at age 9. Screening guidelines suggest women start getting PAP smears at the age of 21 regardless of sexual activity.”
Changes in HPV Vaccine and Cervical Screening Guidelines
“While the HPV vaccine was initially approved up to age 26, in the last several years, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved the HPV vaccine from ages 27 to 45,” said Dr. Chute. “Two reasons for changes in the eligibility guideline is to vaccinate women in this age group who may not have received the vaccine, and for women who haven’t been exposed to the virus, the vaccine is very effective at targeting high-risk HPV strains. It is important for women in this age bracket to discuss the appropriateness of getting the vaccine with their provider in a shared decision-making conversation.”
“In the past, women began screenings with PAP smears when they became sexually active,” said Dr. Chute. “Now, we start screening with PAP smears at 21 and then every three years until they reach 30. After that, PAP smears are done every three to five years until about age 65.”
Dr. Chute stresses the importance of women continuing their screenings after menopause.
“The cervical cancers I have diagnosed are almost always in women who haven’t been seen in years for a gynecological checkup,” said Dr. Chute. “Typically, they tell me they thought they didn’t need to see a gynecologist after they were done with childbearing. If they have their checkups, we can catch pre-cancerous lesions early, and get rid of them so they don’t progress to cancer.”
Educating the Public
Team Maureen continues their efforts to educate everyone about HPV, the importance of screening and vaccinations as well as HPV’s connection to various types of cancer. While cervical cancer is the most common HPV-associated cancer in women/people with a cervix, oropharyngeal (throat, base of the tongue and tonsils) cancer is most common in men according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Team Maureen’s outreach includes the following:
- Provider training for both medical and dental providers and their staff about the connection between HPV and oropharyngeal, cervical and other cancers and providers’ role in prevention.
- Creative community programs, such as reaching out to students with Take the Shot Night, which invites middle school students to a high school basketball game that includes free t-shirts, a raffle, a prize wheel and a free throw competition to educate this age group and their families about HPV.
- Educational programs in schools, health classes, and community-based outreach.
The organization now participates on several national boards also including:
- The President’s Cancer Panel
- American Cancer Society’s (ACS) HPV Roundtable
- American Cancer Society’s (ACS) Cervical Cancer National Roundtable
- ASCCP Enduring Guidelines Committee
- Massachusetts Comprehensive Cancer Planning Team
In January 2024, the organization was invited to the Cervical Cancer Forum in Washington, DC hosted by President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot team to acknowledge Cervical Cancer Awareness Month (January) and highlight the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to ending cervical cancer. Team Maureen was one of 80 participants.
Duffey-Lind is grateful for all the support the organization receives, including from Cape Cod Healthcare.
“Cape Cod Healthcare's overall support of our endeavors, along with financial support for education and literature and access to providers, has opened tremendous opportunities to educate everyone we can about HPV,” said Duffey-Lind. “Their support allows us to be innovative and creative in spreading the message that HPV causes cancer and 90 percent of HPV-related cancer is preventable.”
View Physician Profile
Originally published on Cape Cod Health News, June 18, 2024