19th- 25th January marks this year’s Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, which aims to educate women about the signs of cervical cancer, how to prevent it and encourage taking up the cervical screenings available.
Symptoms of cervical cancer aren’t easily recognisable and many women don’t know how to spot them. There are two ways that cervical cancer be prevented; through HPV immunisation and cervical smears.
All women in the UK are offered a cervical smear test, where early signs of cancer or any other health issues can be found. However over 20% of women do not take up this invitation and thus 3000 women each year are found to have cervical cancer, 1000 of which are killed by the disease.
How is Cervical Cancer Caused?
Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by infection of HPV; Human Papillomavirus which is spread by explicit contact in the genital area. This spread of HPV is very common, where 80% of human beings are infected at some point in their lives, however cervical cancer is rare and not all women who are infected by HPV will have cancer.
Prevention
The HPV vaccinations are offered to all girls between the ages of 12 and 18 over a 12 month period and save 400 lives a year. These vaccinations prevent infections from the highest risk HPV types and prevent abnormal cervical cell alterations for at least nine years. However the current uptake of vaccinations is only at 20%, and they could prevent up to 75% of cervical cancers in women younger than 30 if the uptake is risen to 80%.
The vaccinations protect women before and when they are sexually active, hence why they are offered to girls on school age. However women can choose to have the vaccinations if they have not yet engaged in sexual activity.
Cervical smears help to find any abnormal cells in the cervical area that could turn cancerous. 5 million women each year are offered a cervical smear. Smears are a simple procedure which can detect and prevent cancer and take around 5 minutes. They are recommended for women between the ages of 25 and 65, and to have them 3 to 5 times for the maximum prevention.
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust which offers information and help online and through group meetings and events, assisting cancer patients through their fight and encouraging the younger generations take up the preventative methods.
You can find information about cervical cancer in your local GP, in hospitals, on the NHS website on http://www.jostrust.org.uk/.
Cervical cancer can be easily prevented, in more than one way, and can only help you.
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