16 Feb Prevention of Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is one of those rare cancers that can be prevented if you take the vaccine in time.

What is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer is a cancer of the cervix, which is the opening to a woman’s uterus. This is what connects the uterus with the vagina.

What’s important to know is that cervical cancer is usually caused by a virus called the HPV (human papillomavirus). A person can be infected with the HPV by having unprotected sex. However, Cervical cancer is not only of the cervix, but the HPV can cause cancer, meaning that it can (metastasize or spread)  in other parts of your body as well, like the lungs, liver, bladder, vagina, and rectum.etc.

Prevention of Cervical Cancer

There are two primary ways by which you can protect yourself against Cervical Cancer:

• Get vaccinated
• Do regular screening
• HPV Vaccination

The HPV vaccine needs to be given to children (both boys and girls) at an early age.

Here are the details of the dosage and ages:

• Preteens, both boys and girls, between the ages 9-14. They would need two doses of the vaccine, given about 6 to 12 months apart.
• Unvaccinated young adults till the age of 26 years can take the vaccine. Those between the ages 15 and 26 years will need three doses of the HPV vaccine.
• Vaccination for men and women over the ages of 26 years is not recommended. However, it’s best to speak to a physician to know if they vaccine over this age should be taken or not.

Regular Screening as a prevention of Cervical Cancer

Prevention, as they say, is better than cure. Here are the three main ways by which you can do Cervical Cancer screening:

• Screening should begin early, especially in those who are sexually active. It is recommended to start the screening at the age of 25 years
  • A Pap Smear
    • A simple test in which cells are scraped from the cervix and tested for abnormalities.
    • It’s an OPD procedure
    • Recommended to do this every 3 years for women who are sexually active.
    • It is not painful (though some women may feel a brief discomfort).
  • HPV-DNA Detection Test
    • A laboratory test in which cells are taken from the cervix and tested for the DNA of human papillomaviruses (HPV).
    • Considered to be a more effective method for detecting Cervical Cancer.
    • Is costlier than a pap smear.
    • Is recommended for women every 5 years.
  • Acetic Acid Test
    • A basic and inexpensive, visual-inspection test (if the above two can;t be done)
    • Acetic acid is applied on the uterine cervix to check for any precancerous or cancerous lesions.

Note: Pap tests and HPV DNA tests provide more accurate results..

It’s important to get screened regularly, no matter which test you get. It’s a treatable cancer if found early and if it does not spread to other parts of the body.