Cervical cancer can be prevented as there is a vaccine available to combat this disease but still many cases of this cancer are coming up due to ignorance towards the vaccine and screening processes. Medical science has made its move by bringing in the advanced screening techniques and preventive vaccines but all that is lacking is awareness.

Before going into the details of preventive measures for cervical cancer, have a look at the statistics of this disease.

Cervical Cancer Statistic

Invasive cervical cancer is less common as this type of cancer is usually detected in its very initial stage. The pre-cancer stage is more common and that is because of latest screening techniques and regular medical checkups being conducted after crossing the 35 mark.

This type of cancer is more common in middle age women and is usually found in females below the age of 50 and above 20. As per the study, about 15% of the total cases of cervical cancer are found in the women above the age of 65.

Cervical cancer can come your way anytime during the lifetime and it is therefore very important to take appropriate preventive measures to overcome the risk.

What is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer is the type of cancer that develops in cervix – The lower part of the uterus. The fetus grows in the upper part of the uterus and cervix connects this upper part with the vagina. The cells lining the cervix slowly develop into cancerous cells after coming in contact with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) via sexual intercourse. This is basically a sexually transmitted virus. The person infected with HPV would still have chances of prevention either with the help of vaccine or by diagnosing the same in pre-cancer stage.

Signs to be watched

The signs and symptoms of cervical cancer may not show up in pre-cancer or initial stage. The signs may become apparent only when this cancer enters the invasive stage. Regular screening is therefore important to combat the cancer before it takes the upper hand. Here are the signs you may watch for –

• Painful vaginal intercourse.
• Unusual vaginal discharge that also contains traces of blood. It may occur between two menstrual cycles or also after attaining menopause.
• Unusual vaginal bleeding that may occur after intercourse, between periods, or after menopause. Heavy and prolonged bleeding even at the time of periods is the sign that may call for immediate attention.

As the above symptoms occur only during the later stage of cervical cancer, make sure that you go for regular screenings without any signs or symptoms.

Screening tests for cervical cancer

The pre-cancer or initial stage of cervical cancer can be detected with the help of Pap test. The term Pap test stands for Papanicolaou test. This is one of the most popular screening tests used by medical practitioners. Other test is HPV DNA Test that is conducted along with Pap Test.

Preventive Vaccines

Cervical Cancer Vaccines are developed and approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent this cancer from invading girls and women that are exposed to HPV at some point of time in their life. There are two types of vaccines – 1. For boys and girls 2. For only girls and women.

The idea of vaccinating boys is to prevent transmission of the virus. These vaccines are given as injections of three doses at regular intervals. The second dose needs to be administered one or two months post first dose. Third dose may be administered six months post first dose.

The vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women. Even those who are seriously ill may avoid taking this vaccine. It may have severe allergic reactions if given to the person allergic to latex or yeast.

Remember, cervical cancer can be prevented or cured if detected in time!

About Author:

Karishma Pandey is a freelance blogger. She mainly writes on health and wellness subjects. Currently she is associated with “Green Coffee Extractz, an online shop for pure green coffee bean extract for weight loss.