PRIORITIZING YOUR HEALTH GOALS; CERVICAL SCREENING IS A MUST

Every year, people hardly make health resolutions and the few health resolutions made usually include losing/gaining weight, joining a gym and changing bad lifestyle practices. One important health resolution every woman should be making is testing and screening exams for all women-related diseases.

It’s cervical cancer awareness month and an important test every woman aged (21-35) should prioritize is cervical screening test. According to the World Health Organization, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women across the globe. Cervical cancer- a slow-growing, and life-threatening disease- is an overgrowth of abnormal cells that starts in the cervix, which is the opening between the uterus and the vagina. Most cervical cancers begin in cells on the surface of the cervix.

                                                      What Causes Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is caused by certain types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). The Human papillomavirus is a virus that causes warts and increases the chance of cervical cancer. This virus can spread through sexual activities and skin-to-skin contact.

While HPV infections can go away on their own without causing problems, sometimes the virus can progress to cervical cancer later on.

Other factors that can increase risk for cervical cancer include:

• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Chlamydia
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Family history of cervical cancer
• Taking birth control pills

Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

Due to the slow-growing nature of cervical cancer, it may initially not present any symptoms until its late stage. As cervical cancer progresses, typical signs and symptoms may include:

• unusual vaginal discharge
• pain during urination and intercourse
• pelvic pain
• unusual bleeding, such as in between periods, in the vagina, after sex, or after menopause

General stages for cervical cancer are:

Stage 1: Cancer cells are present on the cervix and may have spread into the uterus.

Stage 2: Cancer has spread outside the cervix and uterus. It hasn’t reached the walls of the pelvis or the lower part of the vagina.

Stage 3: Cancer has reached the lower part of the vagina, the pelvic wall, or is affecting the kidneys.

Stage 4: Cancer has spread beyond the pelvis to the lining of the bladder, the rectum, or to distant organs and bones.

How to Prevent Cervical Cancer

One of the most important things to do to prevent cervical cancer is regular checkups and Pap tests.

Pap smear, also called a Pap test, is a screening procedure for cervical cancer. It tests for the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells on one’s cervix. This is done through taking clusters of cells from a person’s cervix using a spatula-like instrument to look for changes in the cervix’s cells. While it’s mildly uncomfortable, it doesn’t cause any long-term pain.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) screening guidelines recommends that:

• People aged 21 to 29 should have a Pap test every 3 years.
• People aged 30 to 65 should have a Pap test plus an HPV test every 5 years.

Other ways to lower risk include:

• Getting the HPV vaccine; HPV infection causes most cervical cancer cases. The infection is preventable with the vaccines. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent HPV and it’s advisable to get the vaccine before a person becomes sexually active. Both boys and girls can be vaccinated against HPV.
• Limiting sexual partners; HPV are primarily passed through sexual activities and skin-to-skin contact. Limiting sexual partners can drastically reduce the spread of HPV which could lead to cancer.
• Practicing safe-sex with a condom or other barrier method
• Avoiding or quitting smoking
• Follow-up testing incase of abnormal pap test, positive HPV test or indications of precancerous cells.

Treatment For Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is treatable when discovered early. Cervical cancer treatment usually depends on the stage of the cancer and how far it has spread.

Surgical options includes:

• Conization: Removal of the cancerous tissue from the cervix.
• Total hysterectomy: Removal of the cervix and uterus.
• Radical hysterectomy: Removal of the cervix, uterus, part of the vagina, and some surrounding ligaments and tissues. This may also include removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or nearby lymph nodes.
• Modified radical hysterectomy: Removal of the cervix, uterus, upper part of the vagina, some surrounding ligaments and tissues, and possibly  lymph nodes.
• Radiation therapy: Radiation targets and destroys cancer cells and keeps them from growing through  high-energy X-ray beams. 
• Chemotherapy: is used regionally or systemically to kill cancer cells.

Routine testing leads to better outcomes for cancer detection and treatments. Cervical cancer is curable, especially when detected at an early stage. One of the best ways to prevent future illness is to be updated with regular health checks and early detection programs such as cancer screenings, regular immunisations, and tests for  sexually transmitted infections. 

Resources

World Health Organization

Center for Diseases Control and Prevention

Healthline

Women wellness