Q What can I do to reduce my risk of cervical cancer? I am 27, the same age as Jade Goody, and smoke occasionally.

TE from Liverpool

A The vast majority of cervical cancers are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), which infects half of all sexually active women. You could have been exposed to this. If you are infected, there is no specific treatment and HPV itself has no symptoms. This is why regular cervical screening is essential for picking up the early pre-cancerous cervical cell changes that can then be treated to prevent cancer.

Condoms will reduce your risk of HPV exposure during sex. Stopping smoking also helps because chemicals in cigarette smoke damage cervical cells that help to prevent cancer’s development. There is also a new vaccine that protects against 70% of the types of HPV known to cause cancer and this is now offered to 12- and 13-year-old girls. Girls under the age of 18 are receiving it as part of a catch-up campaign. The key for you is regular cervical screening.

Q My son plays for hours on computer games. We have noticed that his hands have recently become red and sore and sometimes they even weep. Are these facts linked and, if so, what should he do?

TP from Woking, Surrey

A Yes, they are. A recent report in the British Journal of Dermatology labelled these symptoms “PlayStation palm” — a variation on the condition of idiopathic palmar eccrine hidradenitis, which is known to cause red, sore lumps on the palms.

Tight and continuous grasping of a games controller, along with repeated button-pushing, may well trigger painful sore patches on the palms of some people.

If your son takes a break from his console for several days, his symptoms should clear up. He should avoid playing for longer than two hours at a time and try to keep his hands dry while doing so.

Q My father developed a pronounced stoop in his mid-seventies and by the time of his death he was almost bent double. How can I avoid following in his footsteps?

NWS from Glasgow

A Your father’s stoop suggests osteoporosis: the bones in his spine had probably weakened and fractured, making it difficult to support his body. You are statistically more at risk of developing this, not least because genes determine your skeleton’s height and strength.

Regular resistance exercises will strengthen your bones. Avoid smoking, drink less than three units of alcohol a day and consume at least 700mg of calcium each day (equal to a pint of milk). Ask your doctor for a bone-density scan as there are drugs that can help.

Write, with your initials and home town, to drknow@sunday-times.co.uk. All questions are answered by a practising doctor

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