January is considered as cervical cancer awareness month all over the world.
Cervical cancer is very important because it is seen at young ages and is preventable.
If not diagnosed early, it can result in death. This increases its importance.
The most important difference from most types of cancer is that it can be detected and treated simply at a very early stage, even years before the cancer begins.
For sexually active women, they have regular gynecological examinations every year until the age of 30. It is necessary to have examination and smear screening tests.
After the age of 30, HPV screening is also added to regular examinations.
Because today, we know that a virus we call HPV, which is generally transmitted sexually, causes cervical cancer.
Screening tests can be performed very easily and painlessly by taking a swab from the cells in the cervix with a small soft plastic brush during the examination.
Screening tests should be done on a day when you are not in your menstrual period, and also if you have not had sexual intercourse in the last 3 days. , vaginal douche, tampons, suppositories and creams should not be used.
Cellular changes in the cervix can be detected by gynecological examination and screening tests 10 years before cancer appears.
Cervical cancer does not appear suddenly. Cancer occurs 10-15 years after HPV infection.
With examinations and scans performed within this 10-year period, the risk can be detected and cancer can be prevented.
Treatments performed in the early stages provide 100% success and transformation into cancer can be prevented.
On the other hand, the presence of HPV does not always mean that there will be cancer. Only high-risk HPV types are significant in terms of cancer and require regular follow-up.
In the early stages, breakthrough bleeding and spotting may be the only symptoms, especially bleeding after intercourse is a symptom that should be taken into consideration.
Of course, this type of bleeding may not always be related to cervical cancer.
However, it can progress insidiously without giving any symptoms until the advanced stages, and when symptoms appear, it may be too late for treatment.
In advanced stages, cervical cancer spreads to surrounding organs, bladder and large intestine. may cause complaints.
These complaints are bloody It may be urination and defecation, or it may be difficulty in urinating and defecating.
These stages may be difficult or even impossible to treat.
Because even millimetric spreads in cervical cancer can prevent treatment and life after treatment. affects its duration.
Neglecting annual routine examinations and smear may cause the loss of the chance of being caught at very early stages and easy treatment.
Smear and smear Detecting an abnormality in HPV screening does not mean that there is cancer.
On the contrary, detecting this abnormality is a chance for that person.
Not yet, but after 10 years, the possibility of cancer will be understood at a very early stage.
Simple and effective. The possibility of cancer can be eliminated with treatment.
The presence of an abnormality requires additional research.
What is meant by additional research is colposcopic biopsy.
Colposcopy. It is a device that allows the cervix to appear larger with the naked eye.
It allows the cervix to be re-evaluated and, if necessary, biopsied to determine whether there is cancer or pre-cancerous lesions. Even anesthesia is not required for this procedure.
It can only be said after this stage whether it is cancer or not.
The possibility of cancer can be eliminated by removing the lesion that may turn into cancer.
The way to recognize cervical cancer is as easy as having an examination and screening.
We cannot say that HPV is always transmitted sexually.
Every 2 minutes in the world, every 2 days in Turkey. A woman is dying of cervical cancer.
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