Cervical Cancer Prevention Week is an opportunity to raise awareness on the risks of cervical cancer, and help women learn about how to reduce these risks and prevent the illness. It is usually marked from 18th to the 24th of January each year.
Cervical cancer is the 14th most common cancer however, as a result of it’s good response to treatment (if detected early) it does not rank high as a common cause of death.
Early diagnosis is key to improving survival from cancer. When found early, cervical cancer is highly treatable, often with less invasive procedures and fewer long-term side effects associated with high survival rates so raising awareness of symptoms, encouraging cervical screening attendance and noticing any changes which are unusual for you and your body is vital.
Today we shall be looking at some frequently asked questions about cervical cancer and hopefully you find some new helpful information.
Why is cervical screening so important?
- Cervical screening can find changes and high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) early, before it develops into cancer. When these changes are found early, a simple procedure in the doctor’s office is all that is needed to get rid of the precancerous cells.
- Cervical screening is said to help prevent up to 75% of cervical cancer cases. Most of these cases would never be picked up otherwise because cervical cancer tends to not show any symptoms until the disease is advanced.
What is cervical screening?
Cervical screening is a health test. It helps prevent cervical cancer by checking for a virus called high-risk HPV and cervical cell changes. It is not a test for cancer.
Who should go for cervical screening?
Women between the ages of 25 to 64.
What’s the difference between cervical screening and smear test?
There is no difference between cervical screening and a smear test. They are two different names for the same test.
A smear test is the older name for the test. It was called that because of the way the test used to be done – cells were smeared on a glass slide, which was sent to the laboratory for testing.
The test is different now and most healthcare professionals call it cervical screening or liquid based cytology.
Does cervical screening check anything other than the health of my cervix?
No. Cervical screening is only designed to find high-risk HPV or cervical cell changes which, if not monitored or treated, may eventually develop into cervical cancer. It does not check for other conditions or any cancers.
Why is screening only recommended between the ages of 25-64?
It is very rare to develop cervical cancer under the age of 25. It is also rare to develop cervical cancer over the age of 64, if you have had regular cervical screening.
If i am not having penetrative vaginal sex, should I still go for screening?
Yes.
Most cervical cell changes and cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with HPV. As HPV can be passed on through any skin-to-skin contact in the genital area, anyone having any kind of sex is at risk of getting it.
Should I go for cervical screening if I am pregnant?
It is usually recommended that you do not have cervical screening while you are or could be pregnant. Pregnancy can make the result of your test harder to interpret.
If you are invited for cervical screening while pregnant, tell your doctor or nurse you are pregnant. You should wait until 3 months after your baby is born to have the test.
If you need follow-up after an abnormal cervical screening result or treatment for cell changes, you may need to have the test while pregnant. This test will not affect your pregnancy.
Cervical screening is not for people with symptoms. If you are worried about symptoms, see your GP for an examination.
It is understandable that the discomfort of getting the test done can be unpleasant, however the benefit far outweighs a few minutes of discomfort.
Now that you know exactly why you need to have regular cervical screening, you can add it to your New Year’s resolutions. It’s not too late 😉
