How to Detect Cervical Cancer Early?

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Detecting cervical cancer must be done as early as possible to increase the chances of recovery. During this time, the death rate from cervical cancer is quite high because many new women realize that they have cervical cancer when they have entered an advanced stage, or even have spread. In fact, if detected early, cervical cancer can still be cured.

Cervical cancer is one type of cancer that many women experience and causes high mortality rates in the world. In 2012 there were 445 thousand new cases and 270 thousand women died from cervical cancer. While in Indonesia itself, reported by Suara.com, in 2015 there were more than 15 thousand cervical cancer cases found and around 8,000 of them died.

Get to know cervical cancer and its types

Cervical cancer is a network of cancer cells that grow in the cervical region, which then develops until it is uncontrolled. The cervix is the lowest part of the female uterus, and is the link between the vagina and the uterus. The cervix consists of two parts, the most part with the uterus called the endocervix and covered by glandular cells, and the cervix which is close to the vagina called the exocervix and consists of a squamosa cell arrangement. Therefore, there are several types of cervical cancer, namely squamous cell cervical cancer and cervical cancer adenocarcinoma cells.

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Most cases of cervical cancer, namely 9 out of 10 women, are a type of squamosa cell cancer. While cervical cancer adenocarcinoma cells are cancers that grow and interfere with glandular cells, the endocervical part of the cervix. In addition, it turns out a woman can also experience both types of cervical cancer simultaneously, which is then called adenomasquamous cacinoma.

What causes cervical cancer?

Some cervical cancers are caused due to a viral infection known as human papilloma virus (HPV). The growth of HPV in the cervix makes the cells that form the cervix grow abnormally and mutate. HPV itself is transmitted through sexual intercourse by anal, oral, or vaginal methods. According to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, this virus causes 99% of cervical cancer to occur.

There are 200 types of HPV available, but not all of them cause cervical cancer.In the early stages, cervical cancer does not cause any symptoms, so more cases of cervical cancer are found at an advanced stage. In fact, the earlier the cervical cancer is found, the greater the chance for recovery.

Then how to detect cervical cancer early?

Cervical cancer can be detected in the early stages by conducting a pap smear examination. The pap smear test is an examination that aims to determine whether there is abnormal cell growth in the uterus. The growth of cancer cells in the cervix is also abnormal, so it can be detected by this tool.

A Pap smear is a medical examination that is safe to do, easy, and inexpensive when compared to the cost of treating cervical cancer with an advanced stage. If you do a pap smear, then there will be a device that is inserted into your vagina, so not all women are recommended to do a pap smear.

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The American Cancer Society issued a number of recommendations that can be done for women to prevent and detect the incidence of cervical cancer early, namely:

A woman who is 21 years old and sexually active - has had sexual relations or married before - it is recommended to do a pap smear.
Women who are between 21 and 29 years old are advised to take pap smears every 3 years.
If you enter the age of 30, you can do a pap smear in 5 years until you are 65 years old.
But for women aged 30 to 65 years who have risk factors, such as having a family history of cervical cancer, it is recommended to keep pap smears every 3 years.
Women who experience positive HIV / AIDS, infections in their sexual organs, and have transplanted organs, are at higher risk of developing cervical cancer, so they should see their doctor more often and carry out examinations in the near future.
Women who are over 65 years old, who have had pap smears for the past 10 years, must stop doing pap smears - as long as they are asked to be free from any cancer for the past 10 years.
While women who have undergone a hysterectomy or removal of the uterus and cervix, they must stop doing pap smears and HPV tests, unless the woman is not fully removed from her cervix, then she must follow the recommendations mentioned earlier.
Pap smears cannot be done every year, by anyone. The recommended time lag is once every 3 years.

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Then what should be prepared when you want to do a pap smear?

Pap smears can be done in various hospitals in Indonesia, now there are many hospitals that provide these facilities. If you are going to do a pap smear, then 2 days before taking the test you should avoid the following:

Wear sanitary napkins
Having sex
Using contraception in the form of cream or vaginal medicine in the form of ointment
Vaginal douching, cleaning the vagina with special sprays or feminine cleansing soap, as well as with various liquids such as vinegar, baking soda, etc.

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How to Detect Cervical Cancer Early?

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