How Common Is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer occurs in a women’s cervix, the uterus entrance from the vagina. Nearly every cervical cancer case is connected to infection with high HPV (human papillomaviruses).
According to cancer experts at Hong Kong Cancer Fund, HPV is a very common virus that gets transmitted through sexual contact, including oral, anal, or vaginal.
While many infections associated with HPV resolve and result in no symptoms, persistent infections might cause cervical cancers in women.
Many cancer experts also say that cervical cancer is the 3rd most common gynecological cancer. In fact, a certain 2022 survey shows that more than 580,000 women got diagnosed with this cancer globally, and around 344,000 women succumbed to the illness.
Every woman is at risk. While it mostly happens in women over 30 years, it can happen as early as 20.
But when cervical cancer is diagnosed early, it is among the most successful treatable type of cancer. Cancer diagnosed in the late stage may also be controlled with the right palliative care and treatment.
A Better Understanding of HPV
HPV is a non-enveloped and small DNA virus that causes many common infections in the reproductive tract.
Various types of HPV target different epithelia and around forty of them infects the genital tract. Out of those forty viruses, only twelve are found in cervical cancer, making them considered high-risk forms.
Continuous infection with high-risk HPV is the most risk factor for progression to cancer and pre-cancer. About 55% of pre-cancers and 75% of cancers are attributable to high-risk HPV.
Many sexually active men and women get affected at some point. Around 50% of carcinogenic HPV infections get resolved within five or six months after the exposure. Less than 12% become more persistent and detectable after several years.
Other Risk Factors
Although every woman at age 21 and beyond can get screened for cervical cancer, some have higher risks and might benefit a lot from checkups routinely.
Being familiar with risk factors for this kind of cancer is the key to prevention. Basically, you can control certain risks, but others are beyond your control.
If you have any risk factors, consider taking proactive approaches and ask your preferred doctor about incorporating some screening tests part of the wellness plan.
Apart from HPV, the risks for getting cervical cancers are high in women who have already given birth to three and more kids.
There are several potential explanations for this. Women with three or more kids can be sexually active, exposing them to HPV. Plus, pregnant women are more prone to HPV infection, potentially because of the lowered immune system or hormonal changes. Other common risk factors include:
- Sexual history
- Chlamydia
- Birth control pills
- Diet
- Family history
- DES Exposure in the womb
- Smoking
Symptoms
Early cancers and changes of precancerous cervical cells don’t cause symptoms in general. For that reason, regular screening through HPV and Pap tests might help detect cell changes and avoid cervical cancer development.
If the disease advances, possible symptoms you may notice include pain during sex, vaginal discharge, or irregular vaginal bleeding. It is also important to reach out to your healthcare team if you start experiencing abnormal bleeding between regular menstrual periods and menopause, pelvic examination, douching, and sexual intercourse.
These symptoms can as well be a sign of other health issues not associated with cervical cancers. This makes it more necessary to talk to your doctor if you experience such symptoms.
Woman’s Outlook
The stage at which this cancer gets diagnosed is a vital factor when it comes to determining the outlook of a woman.
Staging, given as the number starting from one to four, shows how cervical cancer has spread. The chances for surviving for five years or so after getting diagnosed with this kind of cancer include:
- Stage 4 – 20%
- Stage 3 – 30-50%
- Stage 2 – 60-90%
- Stage 1 – 80-99%
Screening
Cervical screening tests usually check the health of the cervix. Through regular Hong Kong cervix cancer screening, you can protect yourself from this kind of cancer.
According to experts, screening tests used to be referred to as smear tests. That was before it was changed to HPV cervical screening.
Every woman between 21 and 65 needs to go for cervical screening tests regularly or when it is due.
Treatment of Cervical Cancer
The kind of treatment you can have depends on your medical history, health, age, and cell origin. It may also depend on how fast it is growing, how it looks like, the size, and its location in your body.
Your healthcare provider will discuss all these things and guide you in choosing the right treatment option, according to your lifestyle, wishes, and type of cancer you have. The most common types of treatment options include:
- Chemotherapy
This is a medicine that aims to kill or control cancer. Normally, it involves getting connected to a drip or IV for several hours to ensure the medicine is slowly released into the body.
- Radiotherapy
It also aims to kill or control cancer. With external radiation, patients will need to sit or lie close to a machine that directs radiation beams at your cervical cancer.
But when it comes to internal radiation, small radioactive devices are put inside the patients’ uterus and cervix through their vaginas.
- Surgery
This involves removing your fallopian tubes, uterus, and cervix through bilateral salpingectomy and total hysterectomy.
Some of the lymph nodes just nearby may also be removed, but your surgeon will unlikely remove your ovaries.
The Global Burden – the Bottom Line!
Basically, cervical cancer is one of the health crises affecting women as well as their families globally, particularly in a low-resource setting.
More often, cervical cancer gets diagnosed between the age of 36 and 45. Mostly, these cases happen in individuals who didn’t get regular screenings for cancer.
While cervical cancer is among the leading causes of death for many women globally, death cases have decreased. That is because many women schedule regular Pap tests that enable them to detect cervical pre-cancers before it becomes cancer.
