health

Don’t ignore these 10 warning signs of Cervical Cancer

As per the Indian Journal of Medical Pediatric Oncology, in India, Cervical Cancer contributes to approximately 6-29 per cent of all cancers in women. The ageadjusted incidence rate of Cervical Cancer varies widely among registries; highest is 23.07/1,00,000 in Mizoram state and the lowest is 4.91/1,00,000 in Dibrugarh district.

While cervical cancer is quite preventable, the reason for the higher incidence is lack of awareness among women. Moreover, when diagnosed early, Cervical Cancer can be successfully treated and often cured. Therefore, in addition to having regular Pap tests performed for screening purposes, a woman should learn to recognize possible warning signs so that she can bring them to the attention of her physician, Dr Tomar emphasises.

She lists down 10 warning signs of cervical cancer:

4Itching or burning sensations in the vagina 4Low back or abdominal pain 4Unexplained fatigue 4Bladder symptoms such as

Haematuria (blood in the urine),

Dysuria (painful urination) and/ or frequent or urgent urination 4Abdominal bloating 4Foul smelling vaginal discharge 4Leg oedema (fluid retention) 4Lower abdominal pain 4Rectal symptoms such as bleeding from the rectum, loose motion, or rectal pain 4Lumber pain due to Pyelonephritis (inflammation of the Kidney) or ureteric obstruction

“Most likely, these signs often don’t register as something important simply because they are so common. For instance, many women experience abdominal bloating caused by hormonal fluctuations during their menstrual cycles. Post-menopausal women often report that they feel a need to urinate more frequently than they did when they were younger. Also, most women juggle multiple responsibilities that leave them feeling extremely tired from time to time,” the doctor adds.

Risk factors that can cause

cervical cancer: While there is no definitive way to determine what causes any type of Cancer, there are some risk factors that can increase your chances of developing Cervical Cancer. Tomar highlights the following risk factors that can help you make healthy choices:

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the leading risks in developing Cervical Cancer. While there are over 100 types of HPV infections, the HPV16 and HPV18 strains are the most associated with Cervical Cancers.

Smoking - chemicals found in Tobacco can put women who smoke at increased risk for Cervical Cancer. Second hand smoke may also play a role. Low immune system - women who have Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) may not be able to effectively fight HPV infections, thus putting them at risk of developing Cervical Cancer at a faster rate.

Lack of access to healthcare -

women who may not have access to regular health care and Cancer screenings could be at high risk.

Family history - having a family member who has been diagnosed with Cervical Cancer is a risk factor.

The key to the early detection of Cervical Cancer is for each woman to become familiar with her own body and aware of what is normal for her. Therefore, a woman should pay close attention to the timing, duration and heaviness of her menstrual periods, and whether she experiences back or abdominal pain on a regular basis.

Finally, it might be tempting to search the Internet for information about cervical cancer symptoms, but it is important to proceed with caution and be aware that there is a lot of misinformation out there. Do not be afraid and consult your doctor for proper guidance and support.