Cervical cancer is the cancer of the mouth of the womb. This is the only preventable cancer by simple screening test such as Pap smear.
Cancer deaths in women are caused by two leading cancers, breast cancer and cervical cancer. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide and cervical cancer is the leading cause of death among Indian women. We want to educate our women and offer them the highly sensitive screening test called PAP smear. This is mainly caused by Human Papillomavirus infection, and is the leading cancer in Indian women and the second most common cancer in women worldwide. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) Cervical cancer is ranked as the most frequent cancer in women in India. India has a population of approximately 365.71 million women above 15 years of age, who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. The current estimates indicate approximately 132,000 new cases diagnosed and 74,000 deaths annually in India, accounting to nearly 1/3rd of the global cervical cancer deaths (WHO)
Women who are at high risk for this cancer are those who have multiple births, have multiple partners or their partner has multiple partners, poor hygiene, smoking.
Usually this cancer in the initial stages is asymptomatic but in later stages it may cause irregular bleeding, post coital bleeding, bladder bowel symptoms, weight loss, anorexia, smoking. The screening test called Pap smear can detect the cervical cell changes in the a symptomatic phase of cervical carcinoma in situ for which conservative treatments are available such as cryosurgery, conisation and uterus can be preserved for those desiring fertility and child-bearing. But once the cancer is in late stages radical surgery is required and may need chemo-radiation as well.
We have to take a call now whether we want to see our women dying from cervical cancer or we can help them. Women say we are fine why we need a test, I don’t think I need to explain it further why you need this test?
Yes we can prevent these deaths. We need to create awareness and implement this screening programme at a vast scale especially in rural areas where healthcare facilities are lacking. This test is very cost effective but our poor population can’t afford this as well, so government funding is mandatory for these kinds of programmes. But government is too busy with their scams who cares for these poor women.
