Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer forms in tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope).
Why Employers Should Care?
Cervical cancer was once the most common cause of cancer death among women in the United States, but the death rate from cervical cancer dropped 74% between 1955 and 1992, due to screening, earlier detection and treatment, and more effective treatment methods. Despite this progress, cervical cancer remains a major cause of premature morbidity and mortality and healthcare costs in the United States.
- New cases estimated for 2009: 11,2702
- Deaths estimated for 2009: 4,0702
- The total productivity loss in 2000 due to cervical cancer mortality was estimated at $1.3 billion.3
- The annual medical care costs associated with cervical cancer were estimated to equal $2 billion per year.4
- Screening can prevent cervical cancer by allowing clinicians to identify and remove precancerous lesions before they develop into cancer. Screening can also identify cancer early in the course of the disease when treatment is more effective and the chance of recovery is high.
- The cost of screening is typically less than the cost of treating cancer and, when screening identifies a lesion in its early stages, the cost of treatment is often much less expensive than if the lesion was identified at a later stage.
In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed a vaccine to reduce the risk of cervical cancer. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has issued provisional recommendations for use of this vaccine. The vaccine is not a substitute for recommended screening services: screening is still the primary method of cervical cancer prevention. Additional information on the HPV vaccine is provided in the Immunization Evidence-Statement.
What Employers Should Do?
- Educate employees about the risks of developing cervical cancer and the importance of routine screening. Almost all women should undergo screening during their regular visits to their gynecologist.
- Ensure that health plans are promoting screening to all female patients. Health plans and providers are also a source of information on cervical cancer and promotion for routine screening.
- Ensure that health promotion is culturally competent. In worksite programs, provide materials that are racially/ethnically representative.
Business Group Resources on Cervical Cancer Screening
Cervical Cancer Screening (Benefit Manger Guide) June 2005
Other Resources
| Updated 12/09 |
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| 1 |
Macdonald, C. Assessing secondary prevention methods for cervical cancer: costs and benefits in managed care. The American Journal of Managed Care. June 2008; 4: S185-192. Available at: http://www.ajmc.com/supplement/managed-care/2008/2008-06-vol14-n6Suppl/Jun08-3383pS185-S192. Accessed July 20, 2009. |
| 2 |
National Cancer Institute. SEER stat fact sheets: cervix uteri cancer. Available at: http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/cervix.html. Accessed July 20, 2009. |
| 3 |
Insinga, Ralph. Annual productivity costs due to cervical cancer mortality in the United States. Economics of Population Health: Inaugural Conference of the American Society of Health Economists, June 2006. Available at: http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/0/9/3/3/1/p93316_index.html. Accessed July 20, 2009. |
| 4 |
Brown, Martin, Lipscomb J, Snyder C. The burden of illness of cancer: economic cost and quality of life. Annual Review of Public Health. 2001; 22: 91-113. Available at: http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.22.1.91?journalCode=publhealth. Accessed July 20, 2009. |
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