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ABOUT CANCER
Cervical cancer
More than 700 women will suffer, and over 200
women die each
year from cervical cancer (cancer of the uterine cervix) in our
country. More than half of these cases could be prevented if the women
had undergone prophylactic examination (screening tests).
Why should there be prophylactic examination
for cervical cancer?
Screening
tests are able to detect abnormal cells before they become cancer
cells. Discovered at an early stage, they are usually treatable. A
large number of women who get cancer of the uterine cervix, have never
been screened. Despite the increasing frequency of cervical cancer by
young women, most cases are detected in women over the age of 45.
Who should be screened?
All women who are or have
been sexually active should be checked at least once every three to
five years. Older women feel that they do not need any preventive check
up. Cancer of the uterine cervix, however, can develop slowly over ten
years, which means the examination should be conducted in women up to
65 years of age.
Where to go for preventive gynecological
examination?
The
Pap smears are performed by gynecologists and woman’s doctors in
polyclinics, obstetrician-gynecological offices, district hospitals,
and specialized clinics.
What is involved in a prophylactic
gynecological examination?
Upon
examination of the patient, the doctor takes cells from the uterine
cervix using a cotton pad, spatula, or special brush. The cells are put
onto a slide and sent for analysis in a specialized laboratory.
How to know the outcome of the study?
Ask your
doctor when you will get results of the study. Make sure you make
yourself aware of the result. Do not rely on the saying "No news is
good news”. Do check when your next Pap smear should be taken.
What should I do if the result of the Pap
smear test is positive?
Most
Pap smears have no abnormalities. Only about one in ten smears reveals
any abnormalities that do not need special treatment. A small
percentage, however, may reveal some danger. In these cases, the
patient should be directed to get a colposcopy examination. With the
help of an optical apparatus, the uterine cervix is examined, and the
doctor looks for affected spots. There are different types of
treatment, but most of them are applied in polyclinic conditions.
Remember that it is much easier to conduct treatment at an early stage,
before the development of cancer.
How does cancer of the uterine cervix develop?
It
is not entirely clear how women get cervical cancer, but the opinion of
specialists is that there is a connection with the human papillomavirus
(HPV) since it is sexually transmitted. The risk of women getting this
form of cancer increases not only with the number of her sexual
partners, but also with the number of female partners that her partner
has had. The development of cervical cancer, however, does not mean
that the woman has had too many sexual contacts. It is enough when only
one partner was infected with HPV and passes it to her, causing the
development of cancer of the uterine cervix.
Smoking increases the
risk of developing cervical cancer by several times. In such cases, the
patients are usually heavy smokers. Continued usage of birth control
pills slightly increases the risk of getting the disease, while condoms
play a preventive role.
What should you do yourself?
Consult your gynecologist the next time you go for the Pap smear.
This is just one small step, but it may be the most important for your
health. |
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