Cervical Cancer- Let’s be safe rather than sorry
According to World Health Organization’s (WHO) estimation, one woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer every minute globally. In India, the data reveals that every eight minutes, one woman dies due to cervical cancer. After breast cancer, Cervical Cancer ranks as the 2nd most common female cancer in India. According to some studies, in India about 160 million women between the ages of 30 and 59 years are at risk of developing this disease, and in 2018, about 96,922 new cases of cervical cancer were registered.
Though the numbers paint a grim picture, the silver lining is that cervical cancer can be prevented. Screening can enhance early detection and vaccination can decrease the risk of developing cervical cancer. First, it is important to build awareness about these lifesaving facts. For that, we must start conversations around HPV or Human Papillomavirus. As women, we need to be aware that HPV infection is extremely common, so much so that most women get it at some time in their lives. Often the virus goes away but in some cases it causes HPV-related cancers or genital warts, over time. HPV type 16 & 18 are responsible for about 83% of all cervical cancer cases in India.
Secondly, we must bring more focus on prevention of this disease. Cervical cancer can be prevented with recommended vaccination and regular screening. Primary method for prevention is through vaccination as it helps to protect against the different types of HPV that commonly cause cervical cancer. While screening tests like the pap smear and HPV test can only be done above the age of 25 years, vaccines that can prevent cervical cancer are recommended to be administered much earlier, from the age of 10. Getting vaccinated at this age protects adolescent girls long before they are ever exposed to HPV infection, and consequently, from cervical and other HPV-related cancers. Much like a child’s regular vaccinations, this can be planned in consultation with a pediatrician.
In India, most women tend to seek out treatment after the cervical cancer has already progressed to an advanced stage, at which point both treatment and recovery is a difficult process. Unlike developed countries where regular screening programs for women help to catch cervical cancer early, women in India do not take part in regular screenings. Most women tend not to seek help for reproductive tract problems, brushing them aside with the belief that it is a part of life as a woman.
Regular screening for all reproductive tract infections is a must for prevention of cervical cancer. Pap smear is the most reliable and effective screening method for diagnosing cervical cancer early.
Recommended for all women aged 25-65 years, the pap smear can be done in a doctor’s office or clinic as a simple outpatient procedure. The test specifically looks for pre-cancers and cell changes in the cervix that may become cervical cancer later on if not treated appropriately.
Life is precious, and losing eight precious lives in India every minute from a disease that can be prevented is unthinkable. Let’s start this year by building awareness on cervical cancer and its prevention. Let us take responsibility for our own health. Let’s visit our gynecologist, participate in regular screenings, vaccinate ourselves and let’s be safe rather than sorry.
- 22-Jan-2021
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