Cervical Cancer Awareness is always a current topic when it comes to female sexual health and well-being. Your health care provider will always make a fuss about it because it’s highly preventable.
There are very limited methods to screen for cervical cancer. Your doctor will help you to decide the best method to choose.
The important point here is that you have the power to prevent cervical cancer. Your knowledge is your power.
Take a few minutes today to learn 10 facts about Cervical Cancer.
If you are a reader, you can continue along…. If not, and you learn with pictures, you can proceed to –> our infographics which are just as fun!
Fact 1
Just a few decades ago, cervical cancer was a major cause of cancer-related deaths in women.
There was limited knowledge about the cause of the cancer and how to detect it early.
Thankfully, knowledge and technology has advanced and so we have the answers to most of the questions women across the world will ask about Cervical Cancer and how it affects them.
Fact 2
Today, Cervical cancer ranks as the 3rd most common cancer in women with a global prevalence stands at 1.47 million cases over the last 5 years. However,….
The numbers have significantly declined between the 1950s and the 2000s.
In 2018, over 570,000 new cases were diagnosed… That means for every minute in 2018, one woman was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer.
Fact 3
According to the WHO facts sheet in 2018, Eastern Asia had the highest number of reported Cervical Cancer cases…. They had 126, 874 new cases.
Whilst…
Polynesia had the lowest number of reported cases of Cervical Cancer in 2018 according to the WHO. They diagnosed 37 new cases.
Fact 4
Though we have seen a significant reduction in prevalence, Cervical cancer still is the 2nd leading cause of cancer related deaths among women worldwide.
In 2018, the world had approximately 274,000 deaths, most occurring in less developed countries.
Fact 5
Two scientists had started work in the 1920’s to find a method of diagnosing Cervical cancer and cancer of the womb.
Dr Georgios Papanikolaus, a Greek-American pathologist coined the Pap smear/Pap test which is widely used today. The other scientist was a Romanian, Dr Aurel Babes.
However, it was not until the 1950s that the Pap Smear became widely accepted as a credible method of detecting cervical cancer cells.
Fact 6
The Pap smear is adjunct with HPV DNA testing and is referred to as HPV co-testing.
It is considered the gold-standard for cervical cancer screening in women 30 years and older.
However, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) made a recommendation in 2017 that the HPV DNA testing can be used alone to screen in women of the same age group.
This recommendation is subject to change, so we will be listening for updates.
In the meantime, most health care providers are sticking to the co-testing option.
I’ll tell you more about it in my next post on Screening options for cervical cancer!
Fact 7
HPV DNA testing first started in the 1980’s and has evolved significantly with many modifications to the point where the specific type of HPV can be identified.
HPV DNA testing is not available in some low-resource regions; hence the Pap smear may be the only option for some women.
Fact 8
More than 90% cases of Cervical Cancer are caused by Human Papillomavirus.
The high-risk types of HPV are responsible for cancers. They include types 16, 18, 33, 35, 45, 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59 and 68.….
Of the bunch, types 16 and 18 are responsible for over 70% cases.
Fact 9
HPV infections do not work on their own to cause Cervical cancer. Affected women often have other factors which works in tandem with the HPV to cause cancer.
A woman’s risk will increase significantly if she has one or more of the following
- Current or history of Smoking
- Started having sex before age 18 years
- more than one sexual partner
- a male partner who had multiple sex partners
- unprotected sex (without a condom)
- a sexually transmitted infection, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis
- a weak immune system (immunocompromised) such as in HIV/AIDS
- Use(d) contraceptives
- precancerous changes in the cervix, vagina or vulva
- A mother who used diethylstilboestrol (DES) drug while pregnant
Fact 10
Cervical Cancer risk can be significantly reduced by doing regularly scheduled papsmears and HPV testing. Once precancerous changes are noted, they should be treated at colposcopy.
Wrapping Up
There you go lovie! I promised a quick read and got just that. Join us in another round for 10 more important facts about cervical cancer.
Remember to join us on social media for more updates!
Join me again in the next post of the series to get 10 MORE Quick facts about Cervical Cancer
Plus, if you haven’t seen our other posts, you definitely should check them out now:
Do you really know the cervix?
Spotlight: My First Encounter with Cervical Cancer
What is the Cervix & Why is it so Important?
XOXO
Creator, Her Ob&Gyn Care
References
Boardman, C., MD, Matthews, K., MD, & Huh, W., MD. (2019, February 12). Cervical Cancer (J. Carter MD, MS, Ed.). Retrieved March 31, 2019, from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/253513-overview.
Global Cancer Observatory. (2019, March). 23-Cervix-uteri-fact-sheet.pdf(Rep. No. 1). Retrieved March 29, 2019, from WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer website: http://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/23-Cervix-uteri-fact-sheet.pdf
Karjane, N., MD, & Ivey, S., MD, MPH. (2018, May 31). Pap Smears(C. Isaacs MD, Ed.). Retrieved March 31, 2019, from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1947979-overview#a10.
National Cancer Institute. (2010, October). Cervical Cancer(Publication No. 1). Retrieved March 31, 2019, from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website: https://report.nih.gov/nihfactsheets/viewfactsheet.aspx?csid=76
World Health Organisation. (2019, March 24). Human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer(Publication No. 1). Retrieved March 29, 2019, from World Health Organisation website: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/human-papillomavirus-(hpv)-and-cervical-cancer
