Cervical Health Awareness Month Calls Attention to Necessary Screenings

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, which focuses on common ailments of the cervix, especially cervical cancer and HPV, on those affected and what can be done to prevent them. Focus your attention on action.

Cervical cancer can affect people of all ages and is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. According to WHO, HPV16 and HPV18 are associated with nearly half of all high-grade cervical precancers.

Helio has spoken Ritu SaraniMD, UCLA’s Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, a board-certified gynecologic oncologist, explains the basics of screening, the signs of cervical cancer, and how patients diagnosed with cervical cancer can live in their daily lives. I’ll explain how it affects you.

hello: What are the signs of cervical cancer?

Sarani: There are two ways of thinking about this. Because there are screening tests for cervical cancer, often precancerous lesions or even early cancers may be detected by a Pap test or his HPV test on routine examinations. However, if the cancer is more advanced or is not detected by screening, common signs may include abnormal vaginal bleeding. This most commonly occurs after sexual intercourse. You may also have foul-smelling discharge. In more advanced settings, there may even be pelvic pain and leg pain.

hello: What is the prevalence of cervical cancer and HPV, and does the prevalence vary with age?

Sarani: Although cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the world, it actually has a low incidence in the United States.This is the Pap test, HPV test and even HPV vaccination.

HPV infections are prevalent. Most people, both men and women, will be exposed to HPV at some point in their lives. The main difference between HPV and cervical cancer is how long the infection lasts. Then it can start causing problems. Most people will rule out her HPV infection. Those who do not clear it have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer.

Prevalence varies by age. You are more likely to acquire HPV at a younger age, but you are also more likely to eliminate it at a younger age. Cervical cancer is a disease of young women, with an average age of about 49 years .

hello: How effective are treatments for cervical cancer and HPV?

Sarani: There is no cure for HPV itself. The best way is to reduce his HPV risk with HPV vaccination, which has been shown to be highly effective. The ideal age for him ranges from 11 to 13 years old, so getting vaccinated at a young age is the best time to get vaccinated.

Treatment for cervical cancer has varying effects, depending on the stage at which it was diagnosed and how advanced the cancer is. Survival or outcomes with treatment are very successful when detected at an early stage. Unfortunately, many cases fall into more advanced stages and have poor cure rates. Therefore, the more advanced the disease, the lower the cure rate and the more treatment may be required.

We’re making progress: In the past two years, we’ve received two FDA approvals for new therapies that improve survival outcomes, but we still have a long way to go, especially for patients with advanced or relapsed disease. Is required. .

hello: What should I do healthcare provider Do you know before screening a patient?

Sarani: There are many guidelines for cervical cancer screening. Unlike mammography, which is an ordered test, cervical cancer screening is a necessary and sensitive test. Not everyone does this test. It is important for both the doctor and the patient to realize that someone skilled in pelvic examination needs to do the test and that they are doing the right thing with her HPV test plus/minus cervical cytology looking at the cells. It is important. of the cervix. HPV test much more accurate.

Most important is the interpretation of the results. Her HPV presence or abnormal cells that are positive require further evaluation and are very important for the doctor to know. Patient results are also important. In doing so, the patient will not only assume that no news is good news, but will also be able to understand what it means.

Screening may vary. If a patient has a completely normal screening and she is HPV negative, he can wait 5 years between retests. That’s because the risk of developing cancer is very low, negligible, and doesn’t require additional screening that can lead to unnecessary costs. Yes, and it’s an anxiety-inducing test, so this is great. However, appropriate follow-up is important if the screening test is abnormal. Most cases of cervical cancer result from screening failures or failure to respond appropriately to abnormal tests. Most people start testing at age 21 or 25, depending on various guidelines. The important thing is to get tested regularly until age 65. After age 65, tests can be stopped if she was normal for 10 years before that.

hello: How do the effects of cervical cancer affect a patient’s daily life?

Sarani: Cervical cancer is preventable and for me to develop this cancer would be nothing more than a failure of the healthcare system. A diagnosis of cancer can be traumatic, even if it is discovered in its early stages. Importantly, but not always, these are usually carriers, young families, young women who may have fertility concerns, and receiving a cervical cancer diagnosis may affect it. Therefore, prevention or early management is important.

But even if a patient is cured, the effects of cervical cancer treatment are long-lasting. A cancer diagnosis can have lasting effects on fertility, sexual health, and normal mental health. This is not specific to cervical cancer, but it also includes cervical cancer. So beyond the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer, it can have far-reaching implications. It can also affect the lives of loved ones, including caregivers and children. Prevention is an important disease because there is an opportunity to prevent it, but once a patient develops, the whole team should take care of the patient. was diagnosed.

hello: is there anything else‘Want to emphasize on this topic?

Sarani: Most importantly, know that there are ways to prevent cervical cancer. Everyone is at risk and this is not a disease that affects a specific population so it is very important that everyone is screened.It is important that everyone stays up to date with her guidelines for screening. . Proper follow-up is very important if the test is abnormal. Finally, I would like to emphasize the importance of HPV vaccination. HPV vaccination not only helps reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer, but it can reduce her risk of other HPV-related cancers and reduce the risk of genital warts.

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