- Cervical cancer is caused by high-risk persistent sexually transmitted infection HPV in up to 99% of cases.
- In its early stages, this tumor is asymptomatic and that is why many women have it without knowing it.
- The Papanicolau test is the best known for its detection.
Tumors continue to increase in Mexico and the rest of the world, being one of the problems that most are detected in advanced stages. When that happens the chances of survival are quite low. On the other hand, one of the most dangerous and that receives less attention is the cervical cancer.
Within the framework of the commemoration in this month of March of both the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Awareness Day, as World Cervical Cancer Prevention Daymedical specialists launched a call to the population to strengthen measures to encourage timely diagnosis of HPV infection, a precursor to cancer, when it is not detected in a timely manner.
in update session “Cervical cancer is preventable, we tell you how”, Dr. Rogelio Aguado, member of the board of directors of the Mexican College of Gynecologists dedicated to Colposcopy (COMEGIC), explained that cervical cancer develops slowly in a process that usually manifests as a transient and asymptomatic infection. When it occurs, it persists and gives rise to precancerous lesions that, when evolving, generate cancer if not detected in time.
A high mortality problem in Mexico
For this reason, Dr. Aguado Pérez insisted on the importance of diagnosis because it is a cancer that is preventable. Unfortunately, it still represents the second cause of death in women of reproductive age due to cancer in Mexico and in the world, which is terrible. is responsible for the fact that every 2 hours two women die in our country.
Regarding the timely diagnosis of the infection, Dr. José Curiel Valdés stressed that this is precisely a permanent challenge. With this in mind, one should encourage women to attend their periodic check-upsbut also to educate the new generations about this sexually transmitted disease as the main route carried by both men and women.
The specialist pathologist and clinical pathologist, recertified by both boards, added that cervical cancer is caused by high-risk persistent sexually transmitted infection HPV in up to 99% of cases.
“Types 16 and 18 are the most prevalent, responsible for approximately 70% of all cases of cervical cancer.”
How can cervical cancer be detected?
Curiel Valdés also said that there is a good clinical arsenal for the diagnosis of infection such as Pap which is complemented by new approaches through tests such as cytology or papanicolaou and PCR tests to detect the specific type of HPV.
On her occasion, Dr. Diana Mejía, head of the medical area at Besins Healthcare México, recalled that HPV infection is the most common among the population. Even exposed that 5 out of 10 sexually active women are infected with some type of HPVsince it is estimated that 4 years after starting an active sexual life, 50% of women have already acquired some type of HPV.
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