Cervical cancer survivor and musician Christine Baze will perform this month and next in 36 cities nationwide as part of the fourth annual Yellow Umbrella Tour concert series, created to raise awareness about cervical cancer and its cause -- the human papillomavirus (HPV). This year, Christine will perform with Kaki King, an innovative songwriter and guitarist, for a unique musical experience designed to entertain as well as educate about the prevention of cervical cancer.
Baze was diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer in 2000 after a history of normal Pap smears. Following a radical hysterectomy and an incredibly difficult treatment regimen, she survived her illness and returned to music in 2002 with a new goal: to educate women through her story and her music.
"I led a healthy lifestyle and was responsible when it came to getting my annual Pap test, but it missed the abnormal cells that were developing in my body until it was almost too late. After I was treated, I learned it's HPV that causes those abnormal cells, and that testing for the virus can prevent cervical cancer by identifying women at risk," says Baze. "I decided I wanted to use my music to help other women avoid what I went through. Women age 30 and over -- those most at risk of the disease -- need to ask for the HPV test along with their Pap, because the Pap alone may not be enough. It wasn't enough for me."
About HPV and Cervical Cancer
HPV is a very common virus, infecting approximately 80 percent of all women at some point in their lifetimes. In the majority of women, the virus usually goes away or is suppressed by the body before it causes any problems. However, in some women, the infection persists and causes the formation of abnormal cells, which can develop into cervical cancer if they are not detected and treated early. Recently, the first HPV vaccine was approved for girls and young women age 9-26, and is expected to greatly reduce the number of cervical cancers. However, the vaccine does not provide complete protection, making screening with the Pap and -- for women age 30 and older -- the HPV test an important lifelong habit.
"For the first time in medical history, we have a chance to eradicate a cancer -- but only if we use all of the medical advances available to us," says Mark DeFrancesco, MD, chief medical officer for Women's Health Connecticut, the nation's largest practice dedicated to women's health. "Today, that means a combination of the vaccine, the Pap and the HPV test, depending on a woman's age. Together, these tools can spare nearly 10,000 American women from the tragic consequences of this terrible disease, and will even save their lives."
A recent study from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that nearly one third of cervical cancer cases are due to Pap failure. However, when the Pap is combined with the HPV test, the ability to identify women at risk increases to nearly 100 percent.
