Learned something new

[CathyA]

I had a visit with my OB/GYN and she told me I didn't need a pap test because the last one I had showed that I didn't have the HPvirus. I didn't even know they ran that test on me. (Isn't that sort of weird that they didn't tell me they were running it or what the results were?)
And she told me that its the only way you can get cervical cancer.......so if cervical cancer seems to run in your family, it doesn't increase your chances of getting it. You have to have picked up the HP virus. I didn't know that. I guess I only need a pap every 4 years..............although I'm still supposed to go in every year for a general exam (which I don't think is necessary every year).
Interesting info on the HP virus and cervical cancer. I knew it could cause cancer, but didn't realize it was the only causative agent.

[Zoebird]

From what I understand, it's the primary risk factor and the most common cause, but it's not the only cause or risk factor.

And, HPV test is common practice with the pap smear and pelvic exam, so it's no surprise that you were screened automatically.

Pretty much if you don't have it when screened, and are low risk (in terms of sexual behavior), then you really don't need annual pap smears. The CDC recommends every 5 years, but I haven't had one in more than 10 for sure.

These days, a cancer antigen test is a simple blood draw where they look for tumor cell markers in the blood to help determine if there may be tumors before tumors would even be detected by other means. There is still some uncertainty around these tests, but I think it's probably a more effective screening process and an easier part of the annual exam anyway.

In our case, it only cost an extra $150 each to add a full antigen screening to our immigration physical paperwork, so we went ahead and 'threw it in.' we both came back without any problems, which was pretty cool.

I think I only have to go through one more physical with immigration, which is nice. And I have to pay the migrant levy. woo hoo.

[CathyA]

Thanks Zoebird,
I wouldn't mind getting one of the full antigen secreening tests. What all do they check for?
I'm trying to not go in for tests/exams if I honestly feel its just not necessary......like not having a mammogram every year, if I do a regular self-exam. Its sometimes hard to know if the docs are just trying to make money, or it really IS important, preventatively. I do the same at the dentist's........I don't always have the x-rays that they say are so important.......since all I pretty much have are crowns, with no pain anywhere.

[Zoebird]

just do a google search for it. Labs have different packages and those will look for certain things. Like mine was "full screen/female" and Dh's was "full screen/male" which means it's looking for basically the major markers for whatever they already have amrkers for plus also specialized to your sex (prostate for guys, ovarian for gals).

Costs vary.

Also, you should read up on what the results mean. You can be perfectly healthy and still have markers in you because sometimes healthy cells spit them out. There is some debate as to how the antibody results should be interpreted, and as such, it's a good idea to go with a doctor whom you know and trust, and who also has an opinion on how these results should be read, as well as going with a lab that the doctor prefers.

In our case, our family doctor offered it. He considers it a non-invasive way of seeing if anything might be there, and if something comes back in the test results, he can follow up. Then, when we picked our immigration doctor -- they offer package deals for physicals, x-rays, etc -- we noted that they also offered the test, and so we asked how they interpret the results and usually it's just to see if further screening is needed and that it wouldn't affect our immigration paperwork (in fact, there's no field on the online form that they fill out for that information, so it came to us rather than going to immigration anyway).

We thought that was a good way to go, do we went with it.

[CathyA]

Thanks for that info Zoebird!