30/03/2024
This page is created keeping in view the doubts arising in mind about various diseases, their causes and testing so that a normal person can understand the things in simple language. Today I have tried to create awareness about cervical cancer , the second most common cancer in Indian women.
CERVICAL CANCER AND SCREENING
What is cervical cancer?
Cervix is lower part of uterus and cervical cancer is the cancerous changes in this part of uterus.
What is screening?
Screening means checking for a disease before its symptoms arise.
Cervical cancer screening is a part of routine health care for people with cervix so as to find precancerous changes and prevent the cervical cancer from developing. Cancer may develop years later after it is detected in screening tests.
What is the screening test for cervical cancer?
Pap smear is a simple test to screen for cervical cancer.
Is it painful?
No
How it is performed ?
It is just like a normal pelvic examination done by your gynaecologist and takes only few minutes. A soft brush or a tiny spatula is used to collect sample of cells from your cervix and sample is sent to laboratory for testing.
What is the age for screening?
30-65 years
Pap smear must be performed once every three years in case of normal report .
If HPV testing is done with pap smear then once every five years is recommended in case of previous normal reports.
What is the cause of cervical cancer?
It is a caused by sexually transmitted infection from Human Papilloma virus (HPV)
How is HPV detected?
It can be detected in the same sample taken for Pap smear by molecular testing
How it can be prevented?
HPV vaccines are available and WHO recommends vaccination with two doses six months apart for all the girls aged 9-14 years.
For girls with age 15 or more should be given three doses.
These vaccines can prevent development of cervical cancer in 80% of cases.
So Get Tested and screened for cervical Cancer by your health care provider and get Your daughters vaccinated for this preventable disease.
