"When I woke up from the anesthesia, he casually said, 'yep, you have stage 3 cervical cancer.' It turns out, it was not a fibroid, but cancer. I was misdiagnosed all this time." - Jessica Pettway
Hey friends,
In light of the recent and unfortunate death of beauty and fashion content creator, Jessica Pettway, I think it’s important we have a conversation regarding women’s health.
For those who don’t know, Jessica was one of the original beauty and fashion content creators. She was only 36 years old and loved by many. She was a wife, mother, and BLACK woman.
Last July, after a hiatus, Jessica returned to social media and announced that she’d been diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer – after initially being diagnosed with fibroids.
In summation – Jessica had been having extreme vaginal bleeding along with fatigue and generalized weakness – just not feeling like herself, for an unspecified amount of time. She was initially concerned; however, after talking to several other women, she thought the bleeding was a “normal symptom” that women experience. In July 2022, she was found unresponsive in the bathroom by her husband and was rushed to the hospital. During that hospitalization, she was told she was anemic and evaluated by gynecology, who told her the “extreme” blood loss was due to “fibroids.” She was kept overnight and discharged the following day.
During her third hospitalization for abnormal vaginal bleeding, her hemoglobin was found to be 4…. for reference, a normal hemoglobin for a woman is 12-14. She was severely anemic and transfused a total of TEN units of blood; however, she never received a pelvic exam. She was again told the bleeding was due to fibroids which couldn’t be removed due to “lack of blood supply.” Biopsy was recommended, and she was discharged home.
January 2023 – Jessica had an outpatient follow-up appointment with gynecology who performed a pelvic exam and explained that she couldn’t see her cervix because it was blocked by a large mass. The following week she had a biopsy of the mass performed and was “casually” told by a doctor, ‘yep, you have stage 3 cervical cancer.’
“It turns out, it was not a fibroid, but cancer. I was misdiagnosed all this time.”
Jessica “opted out” of medical treatment and succumbed to her illness on March 11, 2024.
When I first read about this, I was angry but also saddened because Jessica deserved better from all involved in her medical care.
For anyone who doesn’t know, a pelvic exam is what a doctor typically performs whenever a patient has a gynecological complaint. It usually consists of a visual component, which is when the doctor uses a speculum (metal or plastic) to look inside the vagina, at the vaginal walls and cervix. The bimanual component is when the doctor inserts fingers into the vagina while pressing on the abdomen to feel for abnormalities of the uterus, ovaries, etc.
The severity of Jessica’s symptoms warranted more extensive evaluation and treatment from her initial presentation. It shouldn’t have taken 7 months for her to finally receive a pelvic examination and biopsy. Her complaints should’ve been taken more seriously before being prematurely diagnosed with “fibroids.” Although I respect her decision to opt out of medical treatment, I can’t help to wonder if the outcome would’ve been different if her experiences had been different.
Cervical cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women between the ages of 35 and 44, but it can be cured if diagnosed at an early stage and treated properly. It occurs when the normal cells lining the cervix begin to grow out of control, which doesn’t happen overnight. Normal cells of the cervix gradually develop abnormal changes that can turn to cancer; however, only some women with these changes develop cancer. For most women, the abnormal cells will go away without any treatment. Treating abnormal changes can prevent almost all cervical cancer. We screen for cervical cancer by performing pap smears and HPV (Human papilloma virus) testing. The pap smear looks for pre-cancerous changes of the cervix. The HPV test looks for infection by high-risk types of HPV that are more likely to cause pre-cancer and cancer of the cervix. There is no treatment for HPV infection; however, there is a vaccine that can help prevent the infection. There are also several risk factors that increase the odds that a woman may develop cervical cancer. Some are out of our control – like genetics. Others are factors we can control – HPV infection, sexual history, tobacco use, long-term use of birth control pills, diet, etc. Having said that, the 2 most important things you can do to prevent cervical cancer is to get the HPV vaccine if you are eligible (ages 9 – 26) and get tested for cervical cancer regularly. If diagnosed with cervical cancer, treatment can consist of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, etc. – depending on stage of cancer.
There are many disparities in healthcare when it comes to providing black women the proper medical attention we deserve. The death rate of cervical cancer in Black women is about 65% higher than in White women. Not everyone with cervical cancer has symptoms; however, the most common symptoms are irregular or heavy vaginal bleeding and bleeding after intercourse. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please follow-up with your gynecologist and make your concerns known. It’s recommended to begin cervical cancer screening (Pap smear, HPV testing) at the age of 21. However, it’s recommended to have a pelvic exam performed EVERY year – even if you are not due for a pap smear. One of the most important things we can do is pay attention to our bodies and advocate for ourselves. As always – if you feel that your concerns aren’t being taken seriously, please get a second opinion.
Praying for all who knew and loved Jessica.
Click below for Jessica’s journey in her own words…
Facts and data are from the American Cancer Society. For more information regarding cervical cancer and the latest updates, check out American Cancer Society link below.
Dr. Vee's Corner
Cervical Cancer Awareness: “Learn. Prevent. Screen.”
“Healthy + Holistic”
Here are a few of my recommendations to take control of your health and improve outcomes:
1 – Get vaccinated against HPV.
The HPV vaccine is available and recommended for protection against the HPV types most commonly linked to cancer. American Cancer Society recommends HPV vaccination of children and young adults ages 9-26. Speak with your primary care provider to see if you, or your kids, are eligible to receive the vaccine.
2 – Protect yourself.
HPV is passed from person to person during skin-to-skin contact with an infected area of the body. Although HPV can be spread during skin-to-skin contact (including vaginal, anal, and oral sex) – sex doesn’t have to occur for infection to spread. It is even possible for a genital infection to spread through hand-to-genital contact. Limiting number of sexual partners and avoiding sex with people who have had many other sexual partners help reduce risk of HPV. Use condoms and other forms of barrier protection.
3 – Get cervical cancer screening routinely.
It is recommended that routine pap smears and HPV testing are began at the age of 21. Further surveillance will depend on screening results. Regardless of Pap smear and HPV results, pelvic exams are still recommended every year.
4 – Avoid tobacco.
Avoiding tobacco use is another way to decrease risk of developing cervical cancer.
5 – Eat healthy.
Women whose diets don’t include enough fruits and vegetables may be at increased risk for cervical cancer.
