these are the warning signs

by time news

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women after breast cancer, with an incidence of 604,127 new cases in the year 2020 worldwide and around 2,000 in Spain.

It is known as a silent killer, as it often has no symptoms in its early stages. A charity has warned that more awareness is needed to save lives.

The main origin of this pathology is produced by the human papillomavirus infection. This transmitted infection is responsible for practically all cervical cancers, as well as a variable proportion of cancers of the vagina, vulva, anus, penis, and oropharynx.

HPV affects 80% of the sexually active population. Most people are infected shortly after starting their sexual life, but infection can occur at any time in life. A good part of the infections remit spontaneously and many of them will even go unnoticed. However, around 10-20% of these persist over time, which can lead to the appearance of premalignant lesions or cancer.

For several decades, the prevention of cervical cancer has been carried out by detecting premalignant lesions with cytology or Papanicolaou (secondary prevention or screening). Early diagnosis and treatment of these lesions prevents the development of cancer. Recently, cervical HPV screening has been shown to be more useful in cancer prevention than cytology.

Thanks to prevention through cervicovaginal cytology or Papanicolaou test, death from this type of cancer has dramatically decreased in the last 50 years. However, each year a large number of women are still diagnosed with cervical cancer, which is the third leading cause of death in women in most countries.

Samantha Dixon, chief executive of the Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said cervical screening provides an opportunity to stop the development of cervical cancer.

“While it is positive that more women have been tested in the past year, overall, the number that is up to date has decreased. In addition to the need to raise awareness, we must innovate and seek new solutions, such as self-sampling, to facilitate access to this potentially life-saving test,” Dixon said.

alarm signals

Women with pre-cancers and cervical cancers in early stage usually do not present symptoms. Symptoms often don’t start until a cancer becomes larger and grows into nearby tissue, says the American Cancer Society. When this occurs, the most common symptoms are:

1. Abnormal vaginal bleeding, such as bleeding after vaginal sex, bleeding after menopause, bleeding and spotting between periods, or menstrual periods that last longer or with heavier bleeding than usual. Bleeding can also occur after douching.

2. An unusual vaginal discharge (the discharge may contain some blood and may occur between your periods or after menopause).

3. Pain during sexual intercourse

4. Pain in the pelvic region

Some observed signs and symptoms of more advanced disease are:

– Swelling of the legs

– Problems urinating or having a bowel movement

– Blood in the urine

However, keep in mind that if you have another condition, such as fibroids or endometriosis, you may experience symptoms like these on a regular basis.

Risk factor’s

– Several sexual partners: the greater the number for one of the two parties, the greater the probability of acquiring HPV infection.

– Early sexual activity (less than 18 years): immature cells appear to be more susceptible to the precancerous changes that HPV can cause.

– Deficit immune system: typical of people who have received a transplant, or who have HIV or other circumstances.

– Tobacco: although the exact mechanism is not well known, especially when it is associated with HPV infection.

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