Well, with so many posters at clinics bombarded at us asking women to take the Pap Smear test regularly or a cervical vaccine, we are sure scared. What is this all about? What is cervical cancer? What is a Pap Smear test? We break it down for you here. Read on…
What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer occurs when there is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells on the cervix.
So what is the cervix, where is it located?
The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Cervical cancer can be successfully treated in maximum cases if it is detected early and this is usually done through a Pap Smear test.
Why does cervical cancer occur? What is the cause?
Most of the time, cervical cancer is caused by a virus called the human papillomavirus, or HPV. The virus spreads through sexual contact with someone who already has been infected. it. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms.
Most adults do get infected with HPV at some time. The resulting infection may go away on its own. But sometimes it may cause genital warts or may lead to cervical cancer. And this is why medical experts insist on women get themselves checked and do the Pap Smear tests regularly.
What is a Pap Smear test? How is it done?
A Pap Smear test can detect changes in the cervical cells before they turn into cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you can possibly prevent cervical cancer.
Who needs a Pap Smear?
Talk to your doctor about this and ask them to guide you if you are ready for a Pap Smear. Generally, doctors recommend women start testing at the age of 21 years.
How often should a Pap Smear be repeated?
Usually, doctors recommend repeating the test every 3 years for women aged between 21 and 65. Women aged 30 years and older can consider getting the Pap Smear test done every 5 years if the procedure is done with along with a test for HPV. However, if you fall under the risk category, doctor can recommend a more frequent testing period irrespective of age. Now what are these risk factors?
- A Pap Smear showing precancerous cells or a diagnosis of cervical cancer
- Exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) before birth
- HIV infection
- If you have a weakened immune system due to organ transplant, chemotherapy or chronic usage of corticosteroids
So let’s move on to the symptoms of cervical cancer. What are they?
Initially there are no symptoms. It is said that symptoms start to appear only when the abnormal cells start growing into cancer. Some such symptoms include:
- Abnormal bleeding from the vagina i.e when the bleeding occurs between menstrual periods, after sex, or post-menopause.
- There may be pain in the lower belly or pelvic region.
- Unusual pain during sex.
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
Is Pap Smear the only way to diagnose cervical cancer?
A Pap Smear test is part of the pelvic exam.Your doctor scrapes a small sample of cells from the surface of the cervix to look for cell changes. The entire procedure can be slightly painful but we are sure you can bear that because those 2 minutes can save your life. Here is a video that may help.
If the test shows abnormal cell changes, your doctor would advice you to take other tests to look out for cancer cells in the cervix. A sample of the tissue (biopsy) can also be done if you exhibit abnormal symptoms mentioned above.
How is cervical cancer treated?
The treatment for cervical cancer includes:
– Surgery, probably a hysterectomy and removal of pelvic lymph nodes, there may be a removal of both fallopian tubes as well as ovaries.
-Chemotherapy
-Radiation therapy
Can cervical cancer be prevented? Is there a vaccine?
Yes, governments are insistent on women taking the cervical cancer vaccine called Gardasil
The CDC and the AAP recommend that the cervical vaccine be administered routinely to girls aged 11-12 years, although some doctors recommend that they get vaccinated as early as 9 years. The CDC also recommends that the vaccine be administered for women aged 13 – 26 in case they did not receive the vaccine at a younger age.
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by Hridya
A biochemist by education who could never put what she studied to good use, finally found GetDoc as a medium to do what she loved - bring information to people using a forum that is dedicated to all things medical. View all articles by Hridya.
