January is cervical cancer awareness month. I don’t feel cervical cancer gets much attention. In fact, it has only become a topic of conversation because of the fairly new HPV vaccine. The good news is, with routine care, you can possibly avoid it altogether. So let’s get familiar with what it is, how to prevent it, and treatment options if you have it.

How is cervical cancer diagnosed?

Are you going to the OB/Gyn every year? At what age should you start going to the gynecologist? There’s no one age that is recommended. So talk to your primary care practitioner or pediatrician about when you should start going. At a minimum though, if you’ve turned 21 and you haven’t gone yet, I would. 

During your routine visit with the gynecologist, your practitioner will perform a pap smear where they brush your cervix and send those cells to a lab to be examined. If those results are abnormal, most women can be treated before the abnormal cells become cancerous. Fortunately, the process of the abnormal cells becoming cancerous can take years. So if you’re getting routine checkups every year, you should be able to catch any abnormalities BEFORE they become cancerous.

What causes cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer occurs when normal cervical cells become abnormal. This can happen through repeated trauma to the cervix. The cervix is at the lower end of the uterus and at the top of the vagina. 

Risk factors for cervical cancer

The number one risk factor for cervical cancer is HPV (human papillomavirus). Other risk factors include smoking, having sex at an early age, having multiple sex partners, and a weakened immune system.

Symptoms of cervical cancer

For most, there are no obvious symptoms during the early stages of cervical cancer. However, eventually one will experience leukorrhea (white, yellow, or green discharge from the vagina) and bleeding between periods. These symptoms would continue to worsen over time. 

Cervical cancer screening

Screening for cervical cancer requires routine visits to your OB/Gyn for a pap smear. As mentioned earlier, the practitioner will brush your cervix to obtain cells that will be examined for abnormalities. If there are abnormalities, your doctor will discuss the next steps with you.

I’ve had abnormal pap smears before. I had to return every 6 months for another pap smear until it finally came back normal. It was stressful as I was always afraid of what the next test might say. 

Cervical cancer vaccine

Now there isn’t a vaccine for cervical cancer itself. However, there is one for the number one cause of cervical cancer, HPV. HPV is a disease mainly spread through sexual contact. Now, most people will get HPV and the body will clear it on its own. Others will require treatment. For a few, HPV will eventually lead to cervical cancer. 

The HPV vaccine is recommended for people ages 12 up to 45 years old. Ideally, it’s best to get it prior to participating in sexual activity. Also, if given before age 15, it only needs to be given in a two-part series. After that, the HPV vaccine is given in a three-part series. Get more info on the HPV vaccine by clicking here. 

Want to learn more about HPV? Check out this video below by Mama Doctor Jones. By the way, she is a reliable source for all things gynecology. I learned more about my lady parts in the last few years watching her videos than I learned my entire lifetime. Learning what is normal and what is not, LIFE-CHANGING! So check out her channel & subscribe!

Cervical cancer treatment

If you’re diagnosed with cervical cancer, your doctor will discuss treatment options with you. Some of these options may include surgery that removes just cancer or the entire uterus, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. There are also clinical trials you can discuss with your doctor about enrolling in if you’re eligible. If you want to learn more about treatment options, click here.

All this information was put together from Cancer.gov, The Mayo Clinic, Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems, and Mama Doctor Jones YT Channel. 

Learn more about women’s health by checking out Breast Cancer Awareness – Important Facts You Need to Know.

Share on Facebook

Tweet