Cervical cancer occurs in the cells of the cervix ” the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection cause most cervical cancer.
All women are at risk of developing cervical cancer. It usually affects women over age of 30 years. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women. In 2018, an estimated 5,70,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide and about 3,11,000 women died from the disease.
Cervical Cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the world leading to 90% deaths in low- and middle-income countries. About 96,922 new Cervical Cancer cases are diagnosed annually in India.
Cervical carcinoma is one of the most common and dreaded diseases of women, and in India, it accounts for 16 per cent of total cervical cancer cases occurring globally.
Signs & Symptoms (subhead)
Bleeding between or after periods;Menstrual bleeding that lasts longer and more than usual; Bleeding after intercourse, or after pelvic examination;Increased vaginal discharge; Pain during sexual intercourse;Bleeding after menopause.
Diagnosis
Examination by Gynaecologist and Pap smear test. A Pap smear is part of a woman’s regular pelvic exam. Your doctor collects cells from the surface of your cervix, and a Pathologists examines through microscope. If they spot anything unusual, your doctor will take out a bit of cervical tissue in a procedure called a biopsy.
Cervical cancer is most successfully treatable forms of cancer, as long as it is detected early and managed effectively. Cancers diagnosed in late stages can also be controlled with appropriate treatment and palliative care.
Treatment
Surgery and radiation therapy are the most common treatments for invasive cervical cancer. Others are chemotherapy and biological therapy.
Women Organisations should come forward and motivate all women to undergo screening test which is the single best way to prevent/control Cervical Cancer.
Screening is recommended for every woman 30“49 years of age.
Globally, over one & half billion women between 30 and 49 years old, most of whom have never been screened even once in their life need to undergo examination.
Early detection and treatment of precancerous lesions can prevent the majority of cervical cancers. Three different types of tests are currently available: ”Conventional (Pap) and liquid-based cytology (LBC) ”Visual inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) ”HPV testing for high-risk HPV types (e.g., types 16 and 18).
(The writer is Coordinator, Cardiac Surgery Department, KLES Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital & MRC, Belagavi)
