Cervical Health
Cervical Health
Cervical Cancer
Overview
Cervical cancer develops in a woman's cervix (the entrance to the uterus from the vagina). Almost all cervical cancer cases (99%) are linked to infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV), an extremely common virus transmitted through sexual contact*.
Although the HPV vaccination reduces the possibility of developing cervical cancer later in life, regular screening is a must as the vaccine does not protect against all types of the virus.
It is the second most common cancer among Indian women. It can be easily prevented, as it has a long pre-cancerous phase which can be detected if women screen themselves regularly.
*Source: World Health Organisation
- Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, where the cancer begins in the thin, flat cells or squamous cells which line the outer part of the cervix.
Risk Factors
- Multiple sexual partners either for the woman or her husband increases the risk of cervical cancer
- A persistent HPV infection , can increase a woman’s risk of cervical cancer
- Sexual intercourse at a young age increases the risk of developing cervical cancer
- Giving birth to many children can increase the risk of cervical cancer
- Tobacco consumption in any form, increases your risk for cervical cancer
- Woman with immune system deficiency because of other factors such as HIV/AIDS, immunosuppressive drugs, organ transplants
Stages of Cervical Cancer
As per FIGO 2018 Cervical cancer has 4 stages.
Stage I:The cancer is confined to cervix.
Stage II:The cancer has grown beyond the uterus to nearby tissues and upper part of the vagina.
Stage III:The cancer has spread to lower part of the vagina and pelvic wall. It has caused kidney issues and affects nearby lymph nodes.
Stage IV:The cancer has spread to distant organs.
Screening for Cervical Cancer
At NURA we screen for cervical cancer using Colposcopy. A PAP Smear is the traditional way of screening for cervical cancer, but it has the possibility of being inaccurate. During a colposcopy the doctor closely study the cervix with a colposcope, a special magnifying instrument with a bright light, that allows for quick and accurate diagnosis. We use an Ai based dual fluorescence colposcope which uses blue light in addition to regular light to increase the visibility and accurately identify early stages of cancer. This is a highly sensitive screening tool.
