Cervical cancer is threatening to become a major health concern around the world, as the disease is often transmitted through sexual contact. Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection causes your healthy cervical cells to develop abnormal precancerous changes over a period of time, which can potentially develop into cancer. So is your wellbeing at risk to cervical cancer?
The major risk factor for this kind of cancer is exposure to HPV, although only a few of the 100 varieties have been associated with cervical cancer. Only a small percentage of women exposed to the virus actually go on to develop the disease, but exposure to other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia and HIV, can increase your risk of cervical cancer. Other associated risk factors include:
- Having sexual intercourse at an early age
- Having multiple sexual partners
- Giving birth multiple times
- Having a lower socio-economic status
- Smoking
- Taking oral contraceptives
If you cancer is limited to the lining of the uterus, it is known as carcinoma in situ and has a 100% cure rate. However, your wellness is more at risk if the cancer is not treated in this early stage, as it can go on to invade your cervical tissue. This is known as invasive cervical cancer, and can infiltrate your adjacent pelvic tissues and distant organs in later stages. On average, it takes eight to 10 years for precancerous lesions to progress to carcinoma in situ, and another eight to 10 years to develop into invasive cervical cancer. However, as the five-year survival rates dwindle as invasive cancer progresses, early detection and treatment is all-important.
Half of cervical cancer patients are diagnosed between the ages of 35 and 55, as cancer of the cervix tends to occur during midlife. It’s very unlikely that cervical cancer will affect you before the age of 20, but as women with pre-cancer or early cervical cancer usually have no signs or symptoms, it’s important to get pap smears every three years once you turn 25. When the cancer becomes invasive and spreads, symptoms are more likely to appear. If you’re worried that your wellness has been affected by cervical cancer, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Do you bleed after sex?
2. Have you had irregular bleeding in between your periods?
3. Have you experienced bleeding even after menopause?
4. Do you have foul-smelling vaginal discharge?
5. Does your cervix feel hard to touch?
6. Is there an ulcer or cauliflower-like growth on your cervix? (This occurs with certain types of cancer).
While answering yes to any of these questions could indicate that you have cervical cancer, it is important to note that these symptoms may be caused by other conditions. Still, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should immediately contact you doctor. It is likely that you will need a pap smear, so you should avoid sexual intercourse, vaginal douching, medications, tampons, birth control jellies and foams for 48 hours before the test, as this affects the accuracy of the results.
Before it gets to that stage, there are things you can do to prevent HPV infection and, as a result, cervical cancer. Start by limiting the number of sexual partners you have, as well as having sex with any men who have had multiple partners. You should also use condoms every time you have sex, and get yourself vaccinated against the HPV virus. This protects you against four strains of HPV: HPV-16 and HPV-18 – which cause 70% of cervical cancer cases – and HPV-6 and HPV-11, which cause 90% of genital warts.
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