Vaccination, screening and early treatment key to fighting cervical cancer

New Delhi, Jan 9 Vaccination, screening and early treatment are crucial to fight cervical cancer, which is causing the death of a woman every eight minutes in India, said health experts on Friday.

January is observed globally as Cervical Cancer awareness month.

Cervical cancer is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The virus infects the cervix, which is the mouth of the uterus. While HPV infection does not mean cancer, it requires testing or screening to see if it has caused changes in the cervix.

“Cervical cancer and breast cancer are the most common cancers affecting women. In India, one woman dies every eight minutes due to cervical cancer. This shows how big the burden is. In many foreign countries, these deaths are much lower because cervical cancer is completely preventable. If screening is done on time or vaccination is given at the right age, it is almost 100 per cent preventable,” Dr Sujata Pathak, Scientist, Preventive Oncology, IRCH, AIIMS Delhi, told IANS.

“Cervical cancer prevention is one of the most successful examples of cancer control in modern medicine. The disease is primarily caused by persistent infection with high-risk HPV, making it largely preventable through a combination of vaccination, screening, and early treatment,” added Dr. Rahul D. Modi, a gynaecologic oncologist, at a Delhi-based hospital.

The experts noted that due to a lack of awareness, the burden of the disease is very high in India.

Pathak shared that the HPV vaccine has been available since 2006, but awareness has been very low. Recently, awareness has increased because the WHO has declared cervical cancer a major public health problem.

“HPV vaccination, recommended for adolescents before the onset of sexual activity, can prevent the majority of cervical cancer cases by protecting against the most oncogenic HPV types. When implemented widely, vaccination programmes significantly reduce HPV infections, precancerous lesions, and future cancer incidence,” Modi told IANS.

The HPV vaccine is very safe and well-tested. Minor side effects like pain at the injection site, redness, or mild fever for a day may occur, similar to other vaccines. There are no serious side effects, she added.

Girls aged 9 to 14 years should take the vaccine. They require two doses. Above this age, three doses are required. According to the WHO, even one dose can protect for up to 20 years.

Beyond vaccination, maintaining good menstrual hygiene and overall immunity is also important.

In about 90 per cent of cases, HPV infection clears on its own within two years.

Screening plays an equally critical role. Tests such as pap smears and HPV DNA testing help detect precancerous changes in the cervix long before they progress to invasive cancer. AIIMS Delhi has also launched a month-long free screening for cervical cancer.

“Cancer usually takes 15-20 years to develop, which gives us enough time for screening and intervention,” Pathak said, adding that screening at the right time helps detect changes before cancer develops. AIIMS Delhi has also launched a month-long free screening for cervical cancer.

Symptoms appear late, but once they appear, the cancer is often already advanced.

Late symptoms may include post-menopausal bleeding, bleeding between periods, excessive white discharge, abdominal pain, or lower back pain. These symptoms do not always mean cancer, but should never be ignored, Pathak told IANS.

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