Cervical Cancer

Most Common Screening Tests of Cervical Cancer

The two most common screening tests include Pap smear and HPV DNA testing both of which are painless, non-invasive tests that can easily be done on an outpatient basis during a routine gynae check-up.

• Pap Test :

  During Pap test the gynaecologist collects the cervical cells with the help of a spatula and cytobrush, smears them on a glass slide and these slides are then examined by a pathologist under a microscope to look for any abnormalities caused by HPV. Every married female should get herself screened for cervical cancer by a Pap test every three years beginning from the age of 21 till 65 years of age. If Pap test is done along with an HPV DNA test (referred to as co-test) then the screening interval between two normal tests increases to five years.

• HPV DNA Test :

  HPV DNA test utilizes a special broom to scrape the cervical cells which are then transferred to a liquid medium to look subsequently for the genetic material of the high risk viral strains. HPV DNA testing is not recommended for females below 30 years of age as it is very common to acquire HPV infection in sexually active women of this age group and most of the women eventually clear the virus on their own in the next 2 years.

  HPV vaccines prevent against infection with certain high risk strains of HPV particularly HPV 16 and 18, which are the causative strains in more than 70% of cervical cancer cases. These vaccines should preferably be given to school girls before the onset of sexual activity between 9 to 15 years of age. However, they can also be given later upto 45 years of age but the efficacy of the vaccine reduces. It is imperative to know that HPV vaccination does not obviate the need of routine screening for cervical cancer and hence all vaccinated females should undergo screening tests in the same schedule as non-vaccinated ones.

High Risk Factors of Cervical Cancer

Certain high risk factors which increase the likelihood of developing cervical cancer include, early age at first coitus, multiple sexual partners, multiple pregnancies, low socio-economic status, poor genital hygiene, malnutrition, history of smoking, immunocompromised state (infection with HIV/AIDS), history of STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases) and lastly lack of awareness and screening. So get an instant appointemnt in delhi, the best cancer specialist in Muzaffarnagar.

Symptoms

Symptoms of cervical cancer include irregular vaginal bleeding, bleeding between two menstrual cycles or after sexual intercourse, postmenopausal bleeding, foul smelling vaginal discharge, back pain, pelvic pain and lower limb swelling along with bladder and rectal symptoms in advanced cases.

Women with above symptoms should get themselves examined by a doctor who will take a cervical biopsy to confirm malignancy. Imaging studies including MRI, CT, PET-CT are usually advised to look for local and distant spread of the disease.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the stage of cancer. Early stages are managed by surgery which can be done via minimally invasive robotic route or open technique whereas advanced stages are treated by combination of radiation and chemotherapy.

Common symptoms of early cervical cancer include:

• Vaginal bleeding
• Heavier or longer periods than usual
• Unusual vaginal discharge
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during sex

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