NT Reporter
Panaji
Delay in seeking medical help due to fear, ignorance or a feeling of shame leads to most cases of cervical cancer being diagnosed at a very advanced stage, doctors said.
Dr Sredharan M, Consultant – Surgical Oncology, Manipal Hospital Goa, said that in India alone, over 77,000 women die of cervical cancer annually, making it the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the country.
“Over 80 per cent of cervical cancer is caused by infection with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted viral infection. About 20 per cent of these women develop a persistent infection. A persistent infection lasting 5–15 years can lead to cancer development,” Dr Sredharan said.
There are over a hundred different types of HPV, but only HPV 16 and 18 cause most cases of cervical cancer. Stating that vaccination can prevent majority of cases, he said, “HPV vaccines are typically administered in two doses at a six-month interval between 9 and 14 years of age. Alternatively, a three-dose regimen can be administered in the age group of 15–26 years.”
He said that the vaccine acts by preventing HPV infection and is not useful in women who already have an HPV infection.
The most common symptom of cervical cancer is unusual bleeding from the vagina, such as after menopause, between menstrual cycles or after sexual intercourse. Other common symptoms include foul-smelling discharge, which can be mixed with blood, and new-onset recurrent pelvic pain.
“The presence of any of these symptoms should alert the person or family members to seek medical help at the earliest. The doctor may ask you to undergo a Pap smear test or a biopsy,” he said, adding that many women may not experience any symptoms, making it important for all sexually active women to undergo screening tests.
“A screening test detects cancer at a very early stage. Commonly, a Pap smear test is done, in which a special brush is used to remove some cells from the cervix, which are sent for testing. It is completely painless and is repeated once every three years,” he said.
Dr Sredharan also said that tests to detect HPV DNA have recently been developed and can be done once every five years. “For women living in remote villages without access to healthcare, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) can be performed by a trained auxiliary nurse midwife at primary health centres or sub-centres for early detection,” he said.
