This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about vaccinations adults may need. Being out of school doesn’t mean you no longer need to keep up with your recommended vaccinations.

One recently available vaccination may help prevent cancer. Doctors have found a clear-cut cause-and-effect relationship between the human papilloma virus, or HPV, and cervical cancer. Dr. John Schorge, a gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says knowing the cause may allow doctors to prevent this kind of cancer entirely. The HPV vaccine protects against four types of HPV that account for 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. Women should talk to their doctors about whether they should get this vaccine. Women can also protect themselves by practicing safe sex and having an annual Pap smear to detect cellular changes that could indicate cancer.

Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/patientcare/medicalservices/obgyn.html to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical services in Gynecology and Obstetrics.