Cervical Cancer Prevention Week: Everything YOU need to know about the disease

ONE woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer every three hours, yet it is one of the only cancers that can be prevented.

 

Consultant Gynaecologist Mr N Pisal has talked us through the vitals of cervical cancer

 

It’s reported eight women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every day in Britain. Most shockingly, three British women a day are dying from the disease. 

Cervical Cancer Prevention Week runs from 24 to 30 January, and has been curated to promote self-awareness and testing, to try and prevent more women dying from the disease. 

There is also a Smear For Smear campaign to get everyone talking about the condition on social media, and engaging in conversations about the disease. 

 

NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com spoke to Consultant Gynaecologist Mr N Pisal - who works at London Gynaecology. 

He’s explained all the facts and everything women need to know about the disease. 

What is cervical cancer? 

Cervix is another name for neck of the womb. Cervix opens in the vagina and the period (and babies) come through the cervix. Cervical cancer literally means cancer of the cervix.

Since screening was introduced in 1988, incidence and mortality related to the cancer have dramatically decreased, and with the recent introduction of the HPV vaccine we are getting closer to preventing most cases of the disease.

 

Survival rate from cervical cancer depends on how early it is detected

 

How do you catch cervical cancer? Is it transmitted through sex? 

Cervical cancer is a very rare consequence of a common viral infection known as human papilloma virus (HPV). 

Eighty per cent of men and women get HPV infection at some stage in their life and most would shake it off through their own immunity. HPV can be acquired through sex, but can also be transmitted by intimate genital contact.

The time interval between getting the HPV infection and development of cervical cancer is approximately 15 yrs. This gives plenty of time for prevention through smear tests. If women undergo routine and regular smears, HPV infection and precancerous lesions can be easily detected and treated, thus effectively preventing cancer.

More than 50 per cent of cervical cancers diagnosed in the UK are microinvasive and the prognosis is excellent

What is the survival rate?

Survival rate from cervical cancer depends on how early it is detected. More than 50 per cent of cervical cancers diagnosed in the UK are microinvasive (the earliest stage) and the prognosis is excellent.

How can women be tested for cervical cancer? 

The smear test is a screening test for cervical ‘pre’cancer. Diagnostic test for cervical cancer is rarely required (in presence of symptoms or if your GP is worried on speculum examination) and includes a colposcopy (Examination of the cervix using bright light and a microscope) and a biopsy. 

 

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women aged 35 and under,

Jade Goody famously suffered from it - can missing a smear test be so important?

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women aged 35 and under.

It is also the cancer responsible for the death of celebrity Jade Goody, yet many women remain unaware that it is a preventable disease. Having your smear test regularly offers the best protection against cervical cancer. 

A smear is able to pick up abnormal cells before they become cancerous. These pre-cancerous cells can be then diagnosed and treated using colposcopy, so that cervical cancer is prevented.  The biggest risk factor for cervical cancer is not having a smear test and remaining unaware of the development of the pre-cancer. 

It is of concern that so many young women are not going for their smear tests, and it is important that we combat this so that the figures do not rise.  This 5 minute test can potentially save your life.

 

#SmearForSmear aims to encourage more women to go for their smear tests

 

What are the symptoms? Can they be recognised without a doctor present? 

Symptoms of cervical cancer include irregular bleeding, particularly after sexual intercourse, persistent vaginal discharge and pelvic pain. Most women with these symptoms however will have other reasons for their symptoms. 

A gynaecological examination would be required to make a diagnosis.

Is it just a young woman's disease? 

This is predominantly a young woman’s disease and peak age for risk is 34yrs. 

Having said that, it is important to continue with smears till mid-sixties as it can be seen in older women too.

 

How is it treated? 

Cervical precancer and early cervical cancer (microinvasive) is treated by local excision procedure. 

This is often done under local anaesthesia and is a simple outpatient procedure. 

When the cancer is bigger but still limited to the cervix, it is treated by slightly more extensive surgery such as trachelectomy (removal of cervix, but uterus is conserved so that pregnancy remains an option) or hysterectomy (removal of the womb). 

Sometimes, a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is required if the cancer has spread beyond the cervix.

What is the scope for finding a cure for cervical cancer? 

Prevention and early diagnosis is important as precancer and early cervical cancer is curable. 

Young girls are now offered a vaccine against commonest four types of HPV before they become sexually active. 

This HPV vaccine prevents 70 per cent of all cases of cervical cancer. 

Vaccination combined with regular screening would reduce the risk of cervical cancer very significantly.

  

Jade Goody was an inspiration to the nation with her strength and devotion to fighting cancer

 

How can one avoid it? 

Over 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK each year.  Yet an alarming 20-30 per cent of women do not attend their cervical screening appointments, and only 50-70 per cent of girls offered the HPV vaccine elect to have the jab. 

With this in mind, raising awareness of how these procedures may help prevent the disease is vital.

It is understandable why so many women are missing their tests, with many being either scared or embarrassed about getting it done. However this is often based on lack of experience and isn’t at all accurate - a smear test is a simple five minute examination, and it could potentially save your life; so it is vital to prioritise it. 

Women owe this to themselves and their loved ones to be responsible.

#SmearForSmear aims to encourage more women to go for their smear tests. Diagnoses of cervical cancer have risen by 4 per cent, despite 3.7 million UK women still putting themselves at risk by not attending their smear tests. 

And most shockingly, one in three 25-29 year olds do not attend their smear test. 

If you want to take part in the campaign, upload a selfie with smudged lipstick to Twitter and nominate a friend to do the same, whilst using #SmearForSmear and tagging @JoTrust.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of cervical cancer and its prevention.