Cervical Cancer Awareness month: risks, symptoms and preventions every woman should know

 

January is announced  as the Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, which is represented by a teal coloured ribbon. But, it is still an alarming situation that every year 12,2,844 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 67,477 die from the disease. 

Cervical cancer is ranked as the most frequent cancer in Indian  women between 15 and 44 years of age. India has a population of 436.76 million women aged 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer.

Whereas, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide and second most common cancer in women living in less developed regions. The World Health Organization estimated 5,30,000 new cases of cervical cancer globally (estimates for 2012), with approximately 2,70,000 deaths (representing 7.5% of all female cancer deaths). More than 85% of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries.

What is cervical cancer

As per the American Cancer Society, "Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of body cells and can start almost anywhere in the human body. When cancer develops in the cervix of a female it is termed as cervical cancer or cancer cervix. Cervix is the lower part of the uterus and connects the body of the uterus to the vagina (birth canal).The lower part of the cervix (ectocervix) lies within the vagina and the upper two thirds of the cervix (endocervix) lies above the vagina. Most cervical cancers originate in the area where the endocervix and ectocervix join."

Nearly all cases of cervical cancer can be attributable to Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection. Cervical cancer can be prevented by vaccinating all young females against the HPVs and by screening and treating precancerous lesions in women. In addition if cervical cancer is detected early and treated in earlier stages it can be cured.

Some warning signs and reasons of cervical cancer every woman should know

-Abnormal bleeding: Excessive bleeding during the menstrual cycle, bleeding in-between the periods or bleeding after intercourse needs immediate attention and evaluation.

-Postmenopausal bleeding: Bleeding after cessation of periods for a year needs a complete evaluation to rule out cancers of the uterus and cervix.

-Foul smelling discharge from vagina: Although this is often due to vaginal infection, vaginal discharge emitting a foul odour could be a symptom of cervical cancer.

-Severe lower-back strain: This often occurs in advanced stages of cervical cancer.

-Pelvic discomfort: Pain in the pelvic area is also one of the symptoms of cervical cancer that you shouldn't ignore. If it worsens during or right after having sex, then you should get yourself checked.

-Itching or burning sensations in the vagina

-Unexplained fatigue

-Bladder symptoms such as Haematuria (blood in the urine), Dysuria (painful urination) and/or frequent or urgent urination

-Abdominal bloating

-Leg oedema (fluid retention)

-Lower abdominal pain

-Rectal symptoms such as bleeding from the rectum, loose motion, or rectal pain

-Lumbar pain due to Pyelonephritis (inflammation of the Kidney) or ureteric obstruction.

-Most of the Cervical cancer patients come from low socioeconomic strata of the population and this is linked to poor menstrual hygiene, making them prone to HPV infections.

-Studies indicate that hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy may make women prone to HPV infection and cancer.

During pregnancy, a woman’s immune system may weaken and might pave ways for HPV infection, leading to cancer growth.

Is Cervical Cancer preventable?

Regular screenings using Pap tests and HPV tests to detect and treat any precancers can often avoid cervical cancer. It can also be avoided by getting vaccinated against HPV. Safe sexual practices, the use of condoms, and limiting the number of sexual partners, everything from no tobacco to eating a balanced diet should be followed to reduce the risk.

“If vaccination programs with this new-generation vaccine are effectively implemented, approximately 90 percent of invasive cervical cancer cases worldwide could be prevented, in addition to the majority of precancerous lesions,” said senior author Elmar A. Joura, MD, an associate professor of gynecology at the Medical University of Vienna in Austria.

The WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus too had tweeted about cervical cancer being “the first cancer EVER to be eliminated” and called it” highly preventable and treatable." According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an intergovernmental agency under the WHO umbrella, cervical cancer is largely preventable through both vaccination and screening for precursor lesions, with appropriate follow up and treatment.

But, the reason for the higher incidence is a lack of awareness among women. Know these 10 warning signs of Cervical Cancer and prevent the risk of it getting serious.

Early detection can act as a safeguard against cervical cancer

It is important for women to get themselves checked on a regular basis to know their chances of developing cervical cancer since it doesn't show any symptoms early on. The one test that can help you warn against potential cancer is the PAP test (Papanicolaou test). It's a cervix screening test for women that looks for precancerous and cancerous cells (opening of the uterus or the womb). It's an outpatient operation in which a metal or plastic tool is placed into the vagina to enlarge it and visualize the uterus' mouth (cervix). A sample of cervix cells is collected for microscopic inspection.