You’re in your late 20’s and enjoying your life to the fullest. You may have a busy career, specific dreams for your future, and an exciting social life. Then, just a doctor’s visit changes everything. You learn about cervical cancer, and everything starts to feel unsure. This is a bitter reality for many women, and all of this begins with simple incautions. Not getting frequent HPV testing or pap smears can be one of the main reasons behind this severe condition. Don’t let these small mistakes ruin your life! Read on to explore more about the causes, risk factors, prevention, and signs of cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer can be found anywhere in your cervix. It mainly affects women under age 45. The cervix is simply the opening between the womb and the vagina. This cancer grows slowly, and its severity depends on how large it is and if there is any spread. According to the WHO, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in females worldwide. Cervical cancer led to 342,000 deaths in the year 2020. It’s always vital to get signs of cervical cancer checked as early as possible.
Certain types of HPV, a virus, mainly cause cervical cancer.
There are no signs of cervical cancer at the early stages. Although a few of the symptoms of cervical cancer include:
Pain while having sex and pelvic pain are a few other signs of cervical cancer.
Learning only about the causes and signs of cervical cancer isn’t enough to fight this disease. You must also have proper knowledge about prevention and risk factors.
Smoking is dangerous to your health and can make it easier for HPV infection to cause this cancer.
The risk of cervical cancer is high if you have more sexual partners. The same applies to your partner, too!
Getting involved in sexual activity at a young age can also increase the chances of cervical cancer or HPV.
A few other infections, such as HIV, chlamydia, and herpes, increase the risk of getting HPV. This can cause cervical cancer.
Other health issues that weaken your immune system are that there is a chance that you will be prone to cervical cancer.
If your mother took a medicine – diethylstilbestrol (DES), while pregnant with you, it could increase the chances of getting diagnosed with cervical cancer. This medicine was used to prevent miscarriages in the early 1950s.
According to the ACOG, you can stop regular cervical screenings if:
Screening allows you to identify the early signs of cervical cancer. There are 2 main types of cervical cancer screening:
Early detection is key. Even if there are no signs of cervical cancer early on, regular screenings help catch any issues. If you worry about cervical cancer, talk to your doctor, and set up screenings. Finding it early and treating it makes things better. Schedule a cervical cancer screening with Cellmaflex now and stay in control of your health. Take charge of your health! Schedule an appointment with one of our experienced and caring OB-GYNs:
Disclaimer: Please note that the information is strictly for informative purposes. It is not intended to be used in lieu of professional medical advice, inclusive of diagnosis or treatment. It is strongly advised that you seek a doctor’s medical advice on any treatment or medical condition that you learn about.
Learn more with these sites:
World Health Organization – Cervical cancer
Cleveland Clinic – Cervical cancer
The British Medical Journal – Cervical cancer
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – Cervical cancer