Empowering Women: A deep dive into Cervical Cancer
By Josephine Sesugh
Cervical cancer originates in a woman’s cervix. This is the lower part of the womb, which opens into the vagina. As the fourth most common cancer affecting women globally and responsible for an estimated 342,000 deaths in 2020, cervical cancer is a critical public health concern. Its impact extends beyond physical health, influencing emotional well-being and quality of life.
Our Health Expert, Iruoma Osonwa, provides in-depth information on cervical cancer, its causes, symptoms, risk factors, screening options, treatment, and vaccination. Come along with us.
Meet Iruoma Osonwa, a medical doctor and beauty & lifestyle blogger.
What role does the Human papillomavirus play in the development of cervical cancer?
Research has shown that almost 99% of cervical cancer cases are linked to the Human papillomavirus. The virus has different strains. This means it comes in various forms. It is mostly transmitted sexually because the virus mainly affects the anal/genital as well as the oral parts of the body. The HPV is highly infectious. It is important to note that PERSISTENT infection with HPV causes the condition and not just the presence of the virus. This means that the virus produces cancer-causing proteins and causes an abnormal change in the cells within the cervix. If undetected, the abnormal cells progress further to become cancerous.
What are the common symptoms of cervical cancer?
Usually, symptoms may not show up early. The condition often progresses for years before the signs appear. One of the earliest and most common signs is painless bleeding from the vagina, especially after sexual intercourse, in between periods, or in a woman who has undergone menopause. Others are foul-smelling vaginal discharge, painful urination, blood in the urine, bloody vomiting, and even back pain.
Is cervical cancer restricted to a particular age of girls and women?
It’s common among women of reproductive age, especially 15-45 years. Nowadays, younger women, particularly those with co-morbidities like HIV, are now affected.
Are there factors that increase an individual’s chance of being infected with the virus?
Oh yes! Early commencement of sexual activities, teenage pregnancy, multiple sexual partners, promiscuous male partners, long-term use of oral contraception, a high number of pregnancies, smoking, history of sexually transmitted disease, immunosuppressed states like HIV, diabetes, and poor nutrition are factors that put one at risk of being infected with the virus.
Is cervical cancer a death sentence?
It’s definitely not a death sentence, especially if caught early. Early detection is made following a Pap smear. We suggest this is done for women between 21 and 65, especially if they have any of the earlier stated risk factors. Early detection increases the survival rate by three times. At Stage 1, which offers a 90% survival chance, the cancer is only restricted to the cervix. At stage 4, which provides a 30% survival chance, the cancer has invaded other organs (metastasis). Treatment options also depend on the stage at which the condition is caught. It usually entails a multidisciplinary approach involving different specialists. In the early stage, surgery is the treatment of choice. In more advanced cases, radiation combined with chemotherapy is the current standard of care. Meanwhile, in patients with metastasis, the treatment is mainly targeted at the symptoms or palliative care. At this point, not much can be done for the disease.
What is a Pap smear? What other screening methods are available for cervical cancer?
It is when the professional takes multiple samples from the cervix and sends them to the lab to check for cell changes. It’s these cell changes that are pre-cancerous and become cancerous over many years if nothing is done or if a woman is not being screened. Another test done is the HPV test, which just checks if the virus is present. This is not as popular as the Pap test and doesn’t tell us much about whether the cervix has precancerous cells. Other screening methods are liquid cytology with chemicals by the Lab scientists.
How often should women undergo screening?
Every three years, if no abnormalities are detected following a Pap test. If a woman does both HPV test and Pap smear and both are normal, then her next screening can be every five years.
Tell us one untrue belief about cervical cancer.
Myth: If you have HPV, you will undoubtedly get cervical cancer.
Fact: HPV is very common, but cervical cancer is not. Cervical cancer results from a combination of other factors as well.
What is the HPV Vaccine about, and who should take it?
I love this question. Cervical cancer is a preventable condition that no woman should die of. The vaccine is available in two forms: Bi-valent against HPV Types 16 & 18 and Quadrivalent against HPV Type 6, 11 16,18. The HPV vaccine is best taken between 9-14 years but can be taken up to 25 years. If you’ve been sexually exposed, then you can get a screening done, and the result can determine whether you would take the vaccine. The best improvement in the vaccine is that males can also take it within the same age group or before their sexual debut.
Tell us about the ongoing HPV Vaccination campaign in Nigeria.
On October 24th, 2023, Nigeria introduced the HPV vaccine into its routine immunization. The plan is to reach 7.7 million girls within 9-14 years within the country. It is being provided for FREE by the Federal Ministry of Health through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency with support from GAVI, UNICEF, and WHO. I’m jealous because it wasn’t free when I got mine. The first round of vaccinations happened last year in October; the next one will be by May 2024. It’s targeted at schools. Parents can inquire about it at PTA meetings. It will also be available at local hospitals and primary health centers. The vaccine is completely safe and makes a difference.
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