The cervix is the com
monest site for cancer to affect women in Nigeria. It causes untold pain, suffering and death. However, cancer of the cervix begins slowly and takes time (many years) before causing hardship and death. Therefore early detection and treatment cures the problem.
Most women who die from cervical cancer are in the prime of their life. They may be raising children, caring for their family, and contributing to the social and economic life of their town or village. Their death is both a personal tragedy, and a sad and unnecessary loss to their family and their community. Unnecessary, because cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer as long as it is detected early and managed effectively.
Causes And Risk Factors
What is cancer?
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of certain cells in the body, causing tumours or growths. Not all growths are cancer. Those that spread to other parts of the body and can interfere with normal functions are called cancer.
What is cervical cancer?
It is cancer that begins on the cervix, which is the opening of the womb. Cells on the cervix begin to grow abnormally and sometimes, if they are not treated, they become cancer. However, these early (precancerous) changes can disappear on their own, without causing problems.
What causes cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer is caused by infection with a virus called human papillomavirus or HPV. Most of the time, HPV infection disappears without treatment; sometimes, however, HPV stays in the cells for years and, in some women, eventually causes cervical cancer. Not much is known about why some women get cervical cancer and others do not.
Can cervical cancer be prevented?
Yes. Limiting the number of new sexual partners, using condoms, delaying first sexual relations and childbearing, and not smoking tobacco help prevent cervical cancer. HPV vaccines are now available and will probably be the most effective means of prevention. It is recommended for all but most effective for young people before they start to have sexual relations. The best way to prevent cervical cancer today is through screening of women for precancer, which can be treated before it becomes cancer.
Who is at risk of cervical cancer?
All women who have had sexual intercourse are potentially at risk because they might have been Infected with HPV. Cervical cancer is most commonly found in women in their 40s and 50s. The women most at risk are those who have never been screened, had sexual intercourse and children at a young age, have had more than 5 children, have multiple partners or partners who have multiple partners, and smoke tobacco. Being infected with HIV is a risk.
Screening
What is a screening test?
A screening test is a test done on people who are healthy and without symptoms, to identify those with a higher chance of getting a particular disease. A cervical cancer screening test can determine if a cervix is normal or not. It can detect early signs of disease before a woman has symptoms, when treatment can prevent the disease from developing.
Who should be screened for cervical cancer?
Women between the ages of 25 and 65 years should have a screening test to detect early changes. Women who have never had sexual intercourse do not need to be screened.
What exactly is done during screening?
The most common screening test is the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. The health care provider ‘will do a genital examination to look at the cervix, collect a sample of cells from your cervix, .and send it to the laboratory to be examined. Other tests are sometimes used to screen for cervical cancer, such as looking at the cervix after putting vinegar on it.
Pap smear; cells are scraped from the cervix to check for disease or other problems
What if my test is negative?
If your screening test is negative, it means that you do not have any changes that might develop into cervical cancer. It is important to be screened at regular intervals (every 2-3 years) to make sure that such changes do not develop.
What if my test is positive?
In most cases a positive test means you have precancer, a condition that might go away on its own or that can be easily treated in an outpatient setting. You might need to have other tests to make sure that what you have is precancer, and not cancer. Sometimes a positive test means you have cancer. In this case, you will be referred to a hospital for treatment.
Precancer And Cancer
What is precancer?
A Precancer results when the cervix has been infected with high-risk HPV for some time. It is easily treated. Most precancer goes away on its own, but if it persists and is not treated, it can become cancer.
What are the signs of cervical cancer?
Early cervical cancer usually has no signs, which is why screening is so important. Signs of cancer are: vaginal spotting or bleeding after sexual intercourse, between menstruations, or after menopause, and foul-smelling discharge that does not go away even with treatment. If you have any of these signs, you should see a health care provider, because the earlier cancer is found, the better your chance of being cured.
Can cervical cancer be treated?
Most cervical cancer can be successfully treated if it is found early. In middle- aged women who have never been screened, cancer may be discovered late, when it has already spread beyond the cervix and is more difficult to treat.
Can cervical cancer be cured?
Yes, cervical cancer is curable. if it is found before it has spread too far. The earlier cancer is found, the better your chance of being cured.
How is cervical cancer cured?
There are two major ways to treat and cure cervical cancer – by an operation to remove it surgically, or by radiation therapy which kills the cancer cells. Sometimes both methods are used.
Thus advise and encourage all women to go for screening with pap smear or vaccination. (Available at Every Woman Center; Lane 1, Block 3, Flat 3. Marine base Housing Estate, Port Harcourt. UPTH. BMH, Private Clinics)