With 500 000 new cases diagnosed
annually, cervical cancer is not only one of the
most common cancers to affect women
worldwide; it’s also one of the most
misunderstood.
How much do you know about cervical cancer?
In the run-up to National Cervical Cancer
Awareness Week (17 to 23 November 2014), we
separate myth from fact and dispel a few
important misconceptions about this very real
health threat.
Myth #1: Cervical cancer is a death sentence
Having cervical cancer doesn’t mean your life is
coming to an end. Although cancer of the cervix
– or any type of cancer for that matter – can
be difficult to overcome, this does not mean it’s
incurable. The earlier the cancer is detected
(before it has spread and still is at a treatable
stage), the higher your chances of survival.
This makes regular and adequate screening
extremely important.
Myth #2: The more tests, the better
Many women are under the impression that,
when it comes to medical tests, more is better.
This isn’t always the case. Extra tests don’t
only mean additional costs (for both you and
your medical aid); they may also cause
unnecessary concern, have side effects, and
lead to health complications.
According to the American Cancer Society,
women ages 21 to 29 years should get a Pap
test every 3 years, and women ages 30 to 65
years should get a Pap test and an HPV test
every 5 years, or get just the Pap test every 3
years (depending on their risk).
Going for extra check-ups and more medical
testing isn’t necessarily beneficial. Do, however,
talk to your gynaecologist about more regular
screening tests if you think you’re at increased
risk.
Myth #3: Testing positive for HPV means you
will develop cervical cancer
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is an infection
that can cause changes in the cervix, which
may lead to cervical cancer. It’s a very
common virus in both men and women, and is
easily passed on through sexual intercourse.
Quite often, there are no apparent symptoms.
If you test positively for HPV, this means that
you have the virus in your system. This does
not mean that you have or will get cervical
cancer. HPV usually goes away on its own as
your immune system fights the infection
naturally. However, contracting the virus does
increase your chance of developing cell changes
in the cervix (where the virus can live), which
could cause cervical cancer over time.
Myth #4: No symptoms, no cancer
There are no symptoms linked to the early
stages of cervical cancer, but once the cancer
becomes invasive, you may experience:
- Pain in the pelvis
- An unpleasant vaginal discharge
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding, which may occur
after sexual intercourse, between menstrual
periods, or after menopause
As the cancer becomes more invasive, you may
also encounter leg and back pain, swelling of
the leg, bleeding from the rectum, and blood in
the urine. Once the cancer has spread
throughout and outside of the pelvic region, you
may experience all of the symptoms mentioned
above, as well as the coughing up of blood.
The bottom line? Get tested. Early detection and
treatment – before you experience obvious
symptoms – could stop the cancer from
developing and spreading.
Myth #5: Cervical cancer only affects older
women
This is probably the most common myth about
cervical cancer among younger women. The
truth is that cervical cancer can affect women
of any age.
“The average age at diagnosis for precancerous
changes of the cervix (known as dysplasia) is
29 years, and for invasive carcinoma is 47
years,” according to Myths & Facts about
Cervical Cancer: What You Need to Know by
Bradley Monk (2007).
While it’s rare for a woman to develop cervical
cancer in her 20s, anything is possible and
prevention is better than cure. This is why
going for regular screening from the age of 21
is extremely important. Even if you’re not
having sex yet, or aren’t experiencing any
symptoms of HPV or cervical cancer, get tested
– at least every three years.
The same can be said for older women. Pap
smears and HPV tests should be done
religiously, even after menopause. Your risk for
cervical cancer doesn’t decrease with age.
Myth #6: Cervical cancer can’t be prevented
In most cases, cervical cancer can be
prevented, and one of the best ways to do this
is to go for regular screenings.
In total, there are about 40 types of genital
HPV. Some can cause genital warts (which your
doctor might see with a visual inspection);
others can cause cell changes in the cervix that
can cause cervical cancer. An HPV test, which
looks for HPV on the cervix, can identify
whether the virus is present.
The familiar Pap test looks for pre-cancerous
changes in the cervix that might lead to cancer.
If pre-cancerous tumours are found, they can be
treated before they become invasive. These are
usually also smaller and easier to treat than
big, malignant growths.
Another way to prevent cervical cancer is to
prevent contracting HPV in the first place,
which is essential to the development of
cervical cancer. Ways to avoid the virus include
making healthier lifestyle choices such as
avoiding smoking, limiting your number of
sexual partners, delaying sexual intercourse,
and practising safer sex.
Myth #7: Only promiscuous women are at risk
of developing cervical cancer
It’s strongly believed that only women who
have had multiple sexual partners can get
cervical cancer. The fact of the matter is that
anyone who has had sex, even if it was with
just one partner, is at risk for cervical cancer.
This is because HPV, the sole cause of cervical
cancer, is spread easily through sexual contact,
regardless of the number of sexual partners.
While having more than one sexual partner is a
risk factor for the disease, it isn’t the only risk
factor in the development of cervical cancer.
Myth #8: Cervical cancer is contagious
HPV that causes cervical cancer is transmitted
through sexual contact. This infection is highly
contagious. Cancerous cells themselves,
however, cannot be spread from one person to
another.
Myth #9: Cervical cancer runs in the family
There is no proven inheritable link for cervical
cancer. Unlike most other cancers, your genetic
makeup does not affect your chances of
developing this disease.
Cervical cancer is caused by the sexually
transmitted disease HPV. Because your DNA
does not play a role, you can prevent cervical
cancer altogether.
Myth #10: You cannot develop any other
cancers in the reproductive tract once you’ve
had cervical cancer
Cervical cancer patients are also at risk for
vaginal, vulva and anal cancers, as these can
also be caused by HPV. Despite receiving
treatment, there’s also a risk for uterine cancer
if you still have your uterus. Your ovaries can
also develop tumours if they’re still present
after treatment.
Even if you’ve completed treatment for cervical
cancer, and have been given the “all clear” by
your doctor, close observation and surveillance
still need to take place for the rest of your life.
This includes going for frequent screenings and
medical check-ups.
Sources:
- Krishnansu Sujata Tewari, Bradley J. Monk.
2007. Myths & Facts about Cervical Cancer:
What You Need to Know. Oncology Group,
CMPMedica. Available from:
http://imaging.ubmmedica.com/cancernetwork/
forpatients/pdfs/3_M&F%20Cervical
%20Cancer.pdf
- American Cancer Society. What Women Should
Know about Cancer and the Human Papilloma
Virus. Available from:
http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/
@editorial/documents/document/
acspc-043803.pdf
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What Women with a Positive HPV Test Result
Should Know. Available from:
http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/common-
clinicians/insertpos.pdf