Can you believe that amongst cancer Cervical Cancer is the most preventable type? Some specific types if cervical cancers cannot be prevented but some can certainly be. Cervical cancer can affect women’s reproductive health. Some ways for reducing cervical cancer risk are as follows:
Getting a Pap smear: Pap smear can drastically reduce the risk of cervical cancer at a very early stage. Before the cancer develops at all Pap smear can diagnose it and treatment can take care of it. How often or at what interval should one have Pap smear depends up on doctor’s advice.
Limiting sexual partners: Pap smear can also be prevented by not having too many sexual partners. Women who have had multiple sexual partners are more at a risk of developing cervical cancer than those who don’t. Sexual contact is responsible for transferring HPV, a virus or infection that is the cause of cervical cancer. The infection gets transferred because of unprotected sex. Use of condom reduces the risk of HPV to a great extent.
You can also get HPV vaccine at the right age. Actually it’s for the parents to get the teenage children to get the vaccine but parents are debating over the issue of vaccination. The age at which it can be given is 9. And this is the point of debate. But it’s a certain way out to reduce cervical cancer risk.
Stop smoking to reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer. Women who smoke and are also infected with HPV virus are likely to have cervical dysplasia. Prevention is better than cure and hence not to start smoking or quit smoking as early as possible the way to go to cut down the risk of getting cervical cancer. Even secondhand smoking or passive smoking causes damage to health.
If a patient has been detected with abnormal Pap smear it is advisable that she gets regular check ups and medical advice from time to time. If you have a history of being treated for cervical dysplasia in the past, you are still advised to follow up with Pap smears or colposcopies. Cervical Dysplasia can return or re attack and if not diagnosed on time can develop into cervical cancer.