Cervical cancer is also one of the most common diseases among women, but it is different from many cancers that pose a huge threat. Cervical cancer is a cancer that is currently preventable and controllable, and may even be "eradicated". This is why? Then learn about it quickly and protect yourself as much as possible.
Fact 1: High-risk HPV + persistent infection = cervical cancer
So far, cervical cancer is the only cancer whose cause has been clarified. There are more than 200 members of the
HPV virus family, and more than a dozen of them are currently known to be closely related to cervical cancer. They are high-risk HPV types: in addition to the common types 16 and 18, there are also 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, Types 51, 52, 56, 58, 59 and 68. According to statistics, more than 99.7% of cervical cancers are related to high-risk HPV infection.
In fact, being infected with HPV does not necessarily mean that you will develop cancer. Most women can automatically turn negative. Only persistent infection with high-risk HPV will make the normal cervix develop in the direction of precancerous lesions or even cervical cancer, and this process takes decades.
Fact 2: Even regular sexual life carries the risk of infection
HPV infection is mainly transmitted through sexual intercourse. People who have unclean sexual intercourse (high-risk sexual contact, such as multiple sexual partners) do have a higher risk of infection.
But this does not mean that if you are infected with HPV, you must have a bad sex life. In real life, HPV virus infection is very common, and 80% of women have been infected with HPV at least once in their lives.
Therefore, it is recommended that eligible women should receive the HPV vaccine as early as possible, which can effectively prevent up to 90% of HPV infections.
Fact 3: No obvious symptoms in the early stage
In the early stage, cervical cancer often has no obvious symptoms, but it can be screened through cervical HPV and cytology for early detection. As the disease progresses, some symptoms may slowly begin to appear:
Vaginal bleeding : Vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse or gynecological examination is often manifested. It may also manifest as vaginal bleeding during non-menstrual periods or prolonged menstrual periods or increased menstrual flow.
Vaginal discharge: Vaginal discharge that is white or blood-colored, thin like water or rice swill, and has a fishy odor. In the late stages, cancer cells that invade surrounding tissues can also cause symptoms such as frequent urination, urinary urgency, constipation, and lower limb swelling and pain.
Fact 4: There is currently no drug to treat HPV infection
There is no specific drug, which does not mean that there is no way to "ignore it". If the HPV test is positive, you should first do a cervical smear test such as TCT to see if there are any abnormal cervical cells.
If lesions have already occurred, treat the affected area according to the doctor's advice; if no lesions have occurred, the best way to prevent lesions is to improve the body's resistance, ensure adequate sleep, exercise more, and pay attention to personal hygiene.
and regular check-ups, timely discovery and relevant measures can be taken to curb the development of the disease. Those who have not received the HPV vaccine can also be vaccinated to prevent reinfection.
Fact 5: Regular screening is still required after vaccination
Although the protection rate of the HPV vaccine is very high, the prevention effect is not 100%. Women who are sexually active still need to undergo regular cervical screening for early detection and prevention! For women who are not infected with HPV, TCT and HPV testing can be done every 2 to 3 years. Women who are infected with HPV but have negative cytology can have a reexamination every 2 years.
Fact 6: Cervical cancer screening should be done regularly
WHO The latest guidelines recommend that the first choice for cervical cancer screening is no longer cytology (TCT), but HPV testing; if HPV is positive, further testing is required to confirm the diagnosis.
Of course, if there are economic conditions, HPV and TCT are done together, and the test results will be more accurate. However, screening does not need to be done every year, which will not only increase the financial burden, but also increase psychological pressure.
For women who are not infected with HPV, reexamination is enough every 2 to 3 years. For women who are infected with HPV but have negative cytology, reexamination is enough every 2 years.
