Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix. The cervix is the lower, narrow opening of the uterus. It leads from your uterus to your vagina. Your cervix looks kind of like a donut if you look at it through your vagina.
Cervical cancer usually takes years to develop. During this time, the cells in the cervix change and grow rapidly. The early changes that happen before it becomes full-blown cancer (precancerous) are called “dysplasia” or “cervical intraepithelial neoplasia” (CIN). If these changes are found and treated, cervical cancer can be prevented. If not diagnosed and treated, cervical cancer can spread to other parts of the body and become deadly.
Current estimates indicate that every year, 2,797 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 1,699 die from the disease in Ghana.
Cervical cancer is caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common STD.
There are more than 200 kinds of HPV. Most of them aren’t harmful and go away on their own. But at least a dozen types of HPV can last and sometimes lead to cancer. Two in particular (types 16 and 18) lead to the majority of cervical cancer cases. These are called high-risk HPVs.
Because HPV is such a common infection that usually goes away on its own, most people never know they have it. If you do find out that you have one of the high-risk types of HPV, don’t freak out—it doesn’t mean you have cancer. It means you have a type of HPV that can lead to cancer in the future. That’s why catching it early is so important.
The biggest risk factor for cervical cancer is having one of the high-risk types of HPV. We don’t know why some people develop long-term HPV infections, precancerous cell changes, or cancer. But we do know that HPV is easily spread from sexual skin-to-skin contact with someone who has it.
Cervical cancer is treatable. If it’s found and treated early, there’s a good chance you’ll recover fully and not have any fertility problems.
Some cervical cancer treatments, though, can affect your fertility. If you get cervical cancer, your doctor will talk with you about the different treatments and their risks and side effects, including whether you’ll be able to get pregnant in the future.
Source: Ghana/MaxTV/MaxFM/max.com.gh/Belinda Quansah
