We hope you read our last post where we gave you 10 important facts you should know about Cervical Cancer.
Today, we have another set of 10 facts you should know about cervical cancer.
It’s a huge topic and there is lots to cover.
If you don’t feel like reading pure words today, I got you covered. Here are some captivating pictures with the info below. Do enjoy your time.
Remember, your knowledge is your power!
Fact 11
Cervical Cancer screening via papsmears should start at age 21 years for ALL women, whether or not they have started having sex.
This is the recommendation coming from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, ACOG, since 2016.
Fact 12
When you show up to do a Pap smear, a doctor may not always be there. Papsmears can be done by other trained personnel, such as midwives, and medical technicians.
Fact 13
CIN 3, the worst form of precancerous changes in the cervixcan be treated successful.
The risk of CIN 3 in a woman with a high-risk HPV infection is 1-5%. WHEN TREATED, it is associated with a very low risk of transformation into cancer.
If untreated, the risk shoots up to 20% after 5 years and 40% after 30 years.
Fact 14
Women with HIV are 5 times more likely to have HPV precancerous changes and cervical cancer compared to the HIV-negative population.
Fact 15
Vaccination against HPV can effectively reduce a woman’s risk of Cervical Cancer.
HPV Vaccination can protect from the most common high-risk forms of HPV – types 16 & 18 which is responsible for over 70% cases of cervical cancer!
With the vaccines, there is also some cross protection for low risk types mainly types 6 & 11. It’s a win-win situation!
Fact 16
Screening with papsmear and HPV testing is still necessary regardless of vaccine status.
One reason for this is because not all high-risk types are covered in the vaccines available. Therefore, screening is still necessary as these other types can cause precancerous changes.
Furthermore, a vaccine is not a cure for any disease. A vaccine simply reduced the chances of getting an illness and often causes a less severe illness if that illness occurs.
I will tell you more about the HPV Vaccine in our coming posts!
Fact 17
Cervical Cancer detected in early stages has high cure rates and very low risk of death.
75% women will survive after 5 years of therapy when treatment started early.
Fact 18
Women who have Cervical Cancer tends to have symptoms such as:
- Irregular vaginal bleeding and spotting: random, outside the menses and
- Bleeding after sex
- Heavy menses
- Painful sexual intercourse
- Pain in the lower abdomen
- Abnormal, watery vaginal discharge
- Difficulty passing urine and stool
- Swollen legs
Fact 19
However, many women who have cervical cancer do not display any symptoms whatsoever.
Their cancers are usually in the early stages and they have the greatest chance of survival at 5 years.
Fact 20
In times past, cone biopsy and hysterectomy were the only forms of therapy used when precancerous or cancerous changes were diagnosed.
Thankfully, better advances have been made to expand options with less permanent effects.
We now have the option of LEEP and LLETZ therapy for the precancerous lesions.
There is also the option for surgery and/or localised radiation therapy and chemotherapy for the cancer lesions.
Read our post on Colposcopy and treatment of CIN here.
Wrap Up
There we go, lovies.
These are 10 more important facts you must know about cervical cancer and your health.
Join me again in the next post of the series.
We will be talking about Screening for 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?
Have an awesome week, lovies!
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
