As humans, it is natural for us to assume that nothing bad will happen to us when we have not done anything wrong. Hence, when it comes to any serious illness or a dreaded disease we have a tendency to tell ourselves that it will rather affect someone else but not us.
The reality is that we all know that that’s not true. Especially after the dreaded COVID, we all have learned that lesson to some extent. It has taught us that when we are diagnosed with any major or serious disease, we should not be in denial but rather accept it and get ready to fight it with all our will.
So girls and my dear ladies, let me tell you facts about cancer which mainly puts females in danger. As with most cancers, it can happen to anyone with no fault of their own.
WHAT IS CERVICAL CANCER?
Cervical cancer is cancer of the mouth of the uterus. It is just the second most common cancer in females after breast cancer. The incidence of cervical cancer is about 18-20 percent. Every year, more than 72,000 women die of cervical cancer. That is a huge number!!
WHO IS AT RISK OF CERVICAL CANCER?
All sexually active women are at risk of developing cervical cancer.
So, Which group of women is at a higher risk of acquiring HPV infection than others?
Female with multiple sexual partners
Females with sexually transmitted diseases or pelvic infection
Females with HIV infection
Females who are smokers and alcoholics
Getting married at a very early age
WHAT ACTUALLY INCREASES RISK or CAUSES CERVICAL CANCER?
A virus named, HPV, or human papillomavirus is responsible to cause cervical cancer which a female gets from her male sexual partner who is the reservoir of this infection. This cancer-causing virus can spread via skin-to-skin genital contact and it does not even require penetrative intercourse. Hence condoms will not necessarily protect a female from this infection.
There are more than a hundred types of HPV strains but only 15 out of these strains are cancer-causing types.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS or HOW CAN I SUSPECT THAT I HAVE HPV INFECTION or CERVICAL CANCER?
Now you must be curious to know how we will come to know whether I am infected or not..
This is also simple. A female can have the following symptoms if she has this infection:
Excessive discharge with bad odor
Bleeding after intercourse
Bleeding in between periods
A mass is felt at the mouth of the uterus or the cervix
If you either have or had one or more of these symptoms, then you should see your doctor.
IS CERVICAL INFECTION or CANCER TREATABLE?
If you have or had one or more of the above mentioned symptoms, then you should see your doctor. Your doctor will perform a test by taking some fluid from your cervical area and sending it for HPV testing. This will tell you if you have any infection or cancer or not and treat it accordingly.
IS CERVICAL CANCER PREVENTABLE? or HOW TO AVOID HAVING INFECTION IN THE FIRST PLACE?
So, the question that comes to mind is can we protect ourselves from getting this HPV infection and thereby from this cervical cancer in the first place? Fortunately, the answer has become a “YES” recently from a previous NO. Prevention is now possible and is also very simple and effective.
There is now, vaccination available for HPV through which Primary prevention is possible. The best age for vaccination is 9 years-.to 15 yrs. Catch up age is 16-21 years. finally, vaccines can be given for up to 46-48 years.
After 30 years of age, all women irrespective of their vaccination status should go for regular cervical screening by their doctor.
For any queries feel free to write to me on my Google Business Page or Email me.
Dr. Surekha Jain
Jain Multispecialty Hospital, Shalimar Bagh
surekhajain13@gmail.com
jainhospitalmultispeciality@gmail.com
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