Hyderabad: With cervical cancer month being observed in January, it is time to understand the causes and symptoms of the disease and its impact on women’s health.
Cervical cancer is a malignancy of the cervix, which is the lower portion of the uterus. It occurs among elderly women and is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
Speaking to Siasat.com regarding the number of women affected by cervical cancer in India, Dr Nasreen Ashfaq, a senior consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Ankura Hospital in Hyderabad said, “At present about 18 percent of women in India suffer from cervical cancer.”
Second after breast cancer
She further added that cases of cervical cancer are on the rise in India, it is also the second largest cause of women’s death after breast cancer.
Speaking of the steps taken by the government to detect cervical cancer, the gynaecologist said, “The government of India has set up screening tests for cervical cancer patients. This includes pap smear and cervical cytology.”
The doctor further said that women who suffer from cervical cancer or show symptoms of it must go for the aforementioned tests annually. It helps in the early detection of abnormalities and timely vaccination.
What is HPV?
“Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted disease. Initially, it causes wart-like lesions which evolve into pre-neoplastic lesions and then transform into neoplasms. The unique thing about cervical cancer is it gives a lot of time for intervention.” Dr Amreen, a consultant paediatrician from Caspian Hospital in Hyderabad said.
The doctor further explained that a person gets infected with HPV, then they acquire the wart-like lesions, “It takes 10-15 years for the wards to convert into pre-neoplastic lesions. It takes another 10-15 years for these to convert Neoplastic lesions which are eventually known as cervical cancer,” she added.
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Causes and symptoms of cervical cancer
Addressing the causes of HPV entering women’s bodies, the doctor said, “HPV is just like any other sexually transmitted infection. Wherever there is sexual promiscuity like, the partner having previous sexual history.”
In men, the signs of HPV won’t be evident, they might be carrying the infection silently. Post intercourse, the woman might develop lesions, which gradually convert into cancer. Speaking of the cure for cervical cancer, the doctor said that the area affected by the cancer needs to be examined.
“Like any other cancer, it needs to be examined whether the cancer is only limited to the cervix or has it spread to other parts of the body. If it is detected at an early stage, the cancer can be treated through radiotherapy which could completely cure it,” the doctor explained.
As cervical cancer advances and spreads to larger areas of the Uterus, bladder or rectum and further to the liver, bones or lungs then it becomes incurable.
Prevention is better than cure
The doctor further advised that prevention is better than curing cervical cancer because it is the only cancer that can be completely prevented by vaccination.
Elaborating on the symptoms of cervical cancer, the doctor said that women in the menopause age group which includes women above 45 years. However, if a woman has stopped bleeding for six months to one year and observes bleeding again, then they should go for cervical cancer screening including a pap smear. Other symptoms include pelvic pain and bleeding after intercourse.
Although cervical cancer affects women after menopause, the seed for it is laid out during adolescence or late teenage. “The HPV is usually acquired after the woman becomes sexually active; usually post-marriage. The virus stays dormant in their bodies, and gradually converts into cervical cancer,” the doctor added.
Vaccination for cervical cancer
“Cervical cancer is known to be caused by HPV, there are certain strains including 16, 18, 31 and 33 and hence it can be cured through timely detection and vaccination,” Dr Amreen added. To prevent cancer, girls must be vaccinated at an early before they can even enter the risk zone.
Shedding light on vaccination against cervical cancer, the doctor said, “The cervical cancer vaccine can be administered to any adolescent girl. The earliest recommended age is 11-13 years.”
According to the doctor, there are three types of cervical cancer vaccines in the market including bivalent which cover two strains of cancer (6 and 11) whereas the quadrivalent vaccine covers strains 16,18,31 and 33 which offers optimum coverage. The Nonavalent vaccine covers nine strains of the HPV virus.
