Every year on the occasion of Pink October, a campaign is launched to raise awareness about breast cancer. 1 in 8 women are affected by this cancer, unfortunately it is not the only one. On the other hand, more than 3 out of 4 breast cancers are cured!
Ladies, it’s important to know your body and take care of it!
Today we are going to talk about cervical cancer, a cancer which presents 3,000 new cases diagnosed in France each year and which can be avoided thanks to screening.
Contrary to popular belief, this cancer affects women of all ages, it is generally diagnosed in the early fifties, but prevention is done regularly between the ages of 25 and 65.
Concretely, what are the causes of cervical cancer?
In most cases this cancer develops following persistent infection with the human papillomavirus or HPV.
This sexually transmitted virus is highly contagious. It is transmitted by simple sexual contact. In addition, the small size of the virus means that the condom is not 100% effective protection in itself.
It is estimated that around 80% of the population will be infected with a papillomavirus throughout their life. But be careful, there is no need to be alarmed, there are more than 100 types of HPV, most of which are benign.
However, other factors can be the cause of cervical cancer such as smoking and another cervical infection (chlamydia, human immunodeficiency virus, etc.)
What are the symptoms?
One of the major problems is that in the early stage of the disease there are no recognizable symptoms. However, depending on the progression of the disease, bleeding may appear.
This bleeding outside of your period or during menopause is a sign to watch out for. Often this “sign” is attributed to a disruption of the menstrual cycle and its importance is taken away, but if it persists it is strongly recommended to consult a health professional.
At more advanced stages of cancer, pain may appear during sexual intercourse and difficulty urinating.
How to prevent it?
To prevent uterine cancer there are two effective and complementary methods: Vaccination against human papillomavirus and screening smears.
Vaccination can protect against the 9 most common types of HVP, it is recommended for girls and boys between 11 and 14 years old. It is important that this vaccine is applied before the first sexual intercourse.
However, the vaccine does not cover all types of the virus which can cause cancer, so it is important to take screening smears, even if you have been vaccinated.
Only the smear can detect the presence of precancerous cells in the cervix. Health professionals advise starting this screening at the age of 25 to 65. First with an annual smear, then every 3 years if the first results were negative.
A preventable cancer which is responsible for 1000 deaths annually in France. According to Public Health figures “59.5% of women aged 25-65 have been screened, a stable figure since 2012”.
Click here to see the cervical cancer screening coverage rate by region.
Convinced? Ladies, let’s start prevention now!
Let’s take advantage of this “Pink October” to become aware of the importance of taking care of our body. Let's take the time to do prevention: breast palpations, smears, as well as perineal rehabilitation.
And let’s keep in mind that you can take care of yourself all year round. No need to wait until October, on the contrary!
