For those at average risk of breast and cervical cancer, it has been a busy week! Last week new, more lenient mammography guidelines were recommended, stirring up controversy among cancer organizations and political cynics. Today, we see changes in cervical cancer screening guidelines, issued by The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). Like the updated mammography guidelines, ACOG is recommending less Pap smear tests for women of average risk of cervical cancer. Women who have had abnormal cervical screenings should continue to follow their doctors recommendations as the new guidelines only apply to women of average risk.

New Guidelines Suggest:

• Women should have their first period at age 21. Old guidelines recommended women have their first Pap when they become sexually active or at age 21 -- whichever came first.
• Women in their 20's should have a Pap smear every two years, instead of annually. Women in their 30's and have had three consecutive normal Pap smears should have undergo screening every three years.
• Women 65-70, who have have three normal Pap smear results consecutive and no abnormal findings in 10 years, can discontinue screenings altogether if they choose.
• Women who have undergone a total hysterectomy due to a noncancerous condition and have not had previously abnormal Pap smears can also discontinue screenings.

Shouldn't We Be Screening More Often?

Unlike a lot of cancers, cervical cancer is very slow growing. It can take up to 8-10 years for cervical cancer to develop. New guidelines give ample time to catch any cases of cervical pre-cancer before it progresses into cancer. Conspiracy theorists argue that these new guidelines for cancer screenings are among a grand plan by the Obama administration to cut costs for healthcare reform. I completely disagree. There have been talks of updating guidelines for years now. Medically, it makes perfect sense to increase the time between Pap smears and there isn't a huge debate among cancer organizations about the new changes. Now, the breast cancer screening debate is a whole different ballgame. Check out About.com's Breast Cancer site's heated discussion about the new changes.

Anal cancer has been put in the spotlight with Farrah Fawcetts's battle with the disease. What many people are starting to learn is that a common virus, HPV, is a major risk risk factor for developing anal cancer.

HPV is a virus transmitted thorugh sexual contact and it is estimated that over 20 million Americans are infected. There are over 100 different types of HPV, however only a few are responsible for cancer development. HPV is also the leading cause of cervical cancer, a disease that plagues of 9,000 American women each year. The good news is that most cases of HPV clear up on their own before progressing to cancer. However, a regular Pap smear is needed to monitor any changes in the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer. The bottom line is that if you don't get a Pap smear, you are more at risk of developing cervical cancer.

The FDA has given their approval to expand the use of Gardasil to include males. The vaccine, which provides protection against the human papillomavirus (HPV), is targeted for males ages 9 to 26. It will help prevent two strains of HPV known to cause genital warts in both men and women. The vaccine has not yet been included in the CDC's vaccine schedule for males, but it is likely to be included. Until Gardasil is included in the vaccine schedule, most insurance companies will not likely cover the cost of the vaccine, which is about $360. The good news is that the CDC is expected to meet next week to discuss Gardasil's inclusion, so there shouldn't be too long of a delay in getting males vaccinated.

• What Parents of Boys Need to Know About the HPV Vaccine

I have always practiced safe sex by using a condom, but my doctor says that I have HPV. How is this possible? Don't condoms prevent HPV?
-An About.com Cervical Cancer reader

It's common knowledge that condoms provide excellent protection against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, but how do they fare against the human papillomavirus (HPV)? Most people are unsure about whether condoms provide protection and it's a growing concern as people become more aware about HPV.

Read: Condoms and HPV to find out how much protection condoms provide against the cancer causing virus.

_{Photo (c) Bill Davenport}