LIFESTYLE
27
Cervical Cancer
to findadisease, suchas
cancer, inpeoplewhodo
nothave any symptoms.
Early detecti onmeans
applyingastrategy that
results inanearlier
diagnosisofcervical cancer
thanotherwisemight have
been overlooked.WARNINGSIGNSTOLOOK
OUTFOR
MEDICALprofessionals
explain that whilethere
are warning signs,there
are notearlyearly
warning signs–cervical
cancer oftenpresents
nosymptomsinitsearly
stages, whichiswhy it
is oft en referred to as awomentogoforscreeningstocatch
thecancerearly.
Theformer first ladyofArgenti na,
Eva Peron, more commonlyknown
asEvita, was diagnosedwithcervical
cancer inAugust 1951,accordingto
TheNewYorkTimes.At thetime, it
was common to keep thepati ent inthe
darkabouther trueconditi on,soPeron
was told shehadauterine problem
andthen operated oninsecrecy. (The
doctor entered theroom onlyaft er
shewas under anesthesia.)Radiati on
andchemotherapyfollowed, butshe
got more illastimewent by andsadly
passed away from thedisease in1952
at theage of33.
RealHousewifesOfOrangeCountystar
TamraBarneytoldDrOzthatshehad
been diagnosedwithcervical cancer in
2012.Shehadasked her doctor for a
hysterectomy.Foundati onfor Cancer
Research)inAmerica,
women whosmoke are
abouttwiceaslikely
asnon-smokersto get
cervical cancer, asit
weakens your immune
system, making itmore
difficultfor your bodyto
fight HPV infecti onsonits
own.
2.Having HIVoranother
conditi onthat makes it
hard for your bodyto fight
offhealth problems.
3.Usingbirthcontrol pills
for alongtime(five or
more years).
4.Having given birthto
three ormore children.
5.Having several sexual
partners.‘silent killer’. However, asthedisease
progresses,warning signs may present
themselves,suchas:
•Pelvic pain
•Abnormalbleeding
•Painful urinati on
•Unusualdischarge
•Abnormalmenstrualcycles
•Pain orbleeding aft ersex
•Anemia
•Urinary inconti nence- Back pain
Know The
Facts
DIDyou know that women ofallages
are at riskofcervical cancer? Here
are someothermust-knowfacts on
thedisease,courtesy oftheNati onal
Foundati onfor CancerResearch.
•Althoughthenumberofnew cases
hasbeendecliningover thepast
decades thanks to thePap screening,
cervical cancer issti llthesecond
most common typeofcancer for
women worldwide.
•HPV (humanpapillomavirus)–a
common virusthat can bepassed
from oneperson to anotherthrough
sexual activity–isthenumberone
cause ofcervical cancer. According
to theCentres for DiseasesControl,
more than20-millionpeople
are currently infected withHPV
worldwideandanother6.2-million
willcontract theviruseachyear. HPV
hasalsobeenlinked to othercancers
includingcancer ofthethroat, penis,
anus,vulva andvagina.
•Most cervical cancer cases are
preventable–thesimplest way to
prevent cervical cancer isto prevent
HPV infecti oninthefirst place.
Since2006,ahighlyeff ective HPV
vaccinati onhasbeenused.Itis
administeredintwo orthree shots
over asix-monthperiodto both
malesandfemales between theages
ofnineand26.
•Routi nePap testi ngisthebest
way to detect abnormalchanges to
thecervix before they develop into
cancer. ThePap test can alsoidenti fy
cervical cancer early–whenitisin
itsmost curable stage.
•Onlycertain strains ofHPV cause
cancer. Most HPV infecti onsgo away
withouttreatment and are not linked
to the disease.TIP
WHENcervical cancer isfound
early itishighlytreatable,greatly
increasingyour chancesofalong
survival and good quality of life.DC.GOV AND WWW.GOV.ZA PIC: ADOBE STOCK