Dr Lalitha Badul
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers in women. Mostly because of screenings and vaccinations.
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While there isn’t a vaccination to prevent cervical cancer, there is a vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is spread through sexual contact and causes most cases of cervical cancer.
And gynecologists routinely perform Pap smears, which can detect almost all cervical cancers. They may also screen for HPV.
Cervical cancer facts
There are two types of cells in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that connects it to the vagina: squamous cells and glandular cells.
Between 80% and 90% of cervical cancer cases involve the squamous cells (squamous cell carcinoma).
The rest start from glandular cells and are called adenocarcinoma. Early-stage cervical cancer rarely has signs or symptoms.
You might not know anything is wrong until the cancer is more advanced. Then you could have irregular vaginal bleeding or discharge, or pain during sex.
Fortunately, screening tests can detect cervical cancer and the HPV virus that usually causes it, very early.
Also, cervical cancer is slow-growing. It usually takes a few years for a normal cervical cell to turn into a cancerous one, if it ever does. Finding and treating pre-cancerous cells is the best way to prevent it cervical cancer.
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