World Cancer Day 2024: 5 ways to prevent cervical cancer and all about pap smears and HPV tests
On World Cancer Day 2024, here's all you need to know about the importance of cervical cancer screening, pap smears,
On World Cancer Day 2024, here's all you need to know about the importance of cervical cancer screening, pap smears, HPV tests and 5 ways to prevent it
Published on Feb 04, 2024 07:00 AM IST 8 Photos
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World Cancer Day is celebrated globally on February 04, to raise awareness about cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment. Cervical cancer is a significant global health concern, affecting women of all ages, backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses. Cervical cancer is still very common in India, where it has a high incidence and fatality rate but women may empower themselves to lower their risk and identify possible problems early on by arming themselves with knowledge and taking preventative action. (Photo by Shutterstock)
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The World Health Organization (WHO) projected in 2020 that 3,42,000 fatalities and 6,04,000 new cases of cervical cancer will occur worldwide each year, making it the fourth most common malignancy among women. It is extremely concerning that India is home to about one-fourth of all new instances of cervical cancer worldwide each year, with a nearly one-third fatality rate. Nearly 90% of newly reported cases and fatalities in 2020 occurred in low- and middle-income countries. High-income countries have awareness campaigns in place to help girls (often aged 9–14) receive the HPV vaccination in addition to routine screenings for the identification and treatment of precancerous lesions in women. (Representative Image/Shutterstock)
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Talking about the causes of cervical cancer in an interview with Zarafshan Shiraz of HT Lifestyle, Amol Naikawadi, Joint Managing Director and Preventive Healthcare Specialist at Indus Health Plus, highlighted the risk factors as - 1. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection: Cervical cancer is mostly caused by ongoing infection with high-risk HPV strains. Sexually transmitted infections like HPV infections can be contracted through specific behaviours including having several sexual partners and making early sexual debuts. 2. Lack of Regular Screening: The high death rate is mostly caused by the low prevalence of routine cervical cancer screening. Regular screenings, like HPV tests and Pap smears, can identify abnormalities early on and allow for prompt intervention. 3. Limited Vaccination Coverage: Cervical cancer has been shown to be prevented by HPV vaccinations; nevertheless, vaccination rates in India are still below ideal levels. The incidence of the illness can be considerably decreased with greater access to immunisation programmes and increased knowledge about them. According to him, the preventive measures include -(Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels)
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1. Vaccination: One effective method of preventing cervical cancer is HPV vaccination. For optimum efficacy, vaccination campaigns should target young girls prior to their first sexual experience. To increase the immunisation rate, public awareness campaigns and government actions are essential. (Representative Photo)
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