Cancer is one of the major diseases that can make every living soul concerned. Among the several types of cancers, cervical cancer is one of the most common types across the world.
While many patients tend to fear cancer, if your body is diagnosed on time, it is possible to fight off cancer. This may not sound believable, but there are ways the patients can fight and win over cancer.
One of those ways is the HPV vaccination. Let’s read ahead and find out how the HPV vaccine can help beat cancer.

What is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer is a disease when the cancer cells start to grow in the cervix. The most common age group where cervix cancer happens is aged 35 to 44 years. If diagnosed at an early stage, it can be easily treated. The primary cause of cervical cancer is the infection from human papillomavirus or HPV. This infection is usually caused by sexual contact, and there can be several strains of HPV in the human body. Usually, a healthy immune system can fight off the infection, but some of it can stay in the body, leading to the conversion of cervical cells to cancer cells. This is possible in a minimal volume of people.

Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

When cervical cancer starts developing, there will be no noticeable symptoms. However, when it grows, there are some perceivable symptoms, such as

Pelvic pain
Heavier menstrual bleeding
Vaginal bleeding after intercourse and menopause

Consulting a doctor is the smartest thing to do if a patient experiences these symptoms or odd bodily pain.

What are the Types of Cervical Cancer?

There are two types of cancers based on the cells from where they start. These are

1. Adenocarcinoma

Lining the cervical canal, there are column-shaped gland cells. Adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer that develops in these cells.

2. Squamous Cell Carcinoma

For your information, squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of cervical cancer. The outer part of the cervix is lined by thin, flat cells that are known as squamous cells. Squamous Cell carcinoma develops on these cells.

Are There Any Risk Factors Involved in Cervical Cancer?

Yes, there are certain risk factors highlighted by professional doctors for cervical cancer.

Smoking: The lasting property of HPV infection depends significantly on smoking. People who smoke are more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Weak immune systems: With a strong immune system, the HPV infection is likely to diminish on its own. However, if your immune system is weak due to some health condition, the likelihood of getting cervical cancer is high.
Early sexual activity: Engaging in sexual activities at a young age can increase the chances of HPV infections.
Exposure to miscarriage prevention medicine: There is a medicine that is used to prevent miscarriage called diethylstilbestrol. If the parent consumes this medicine during pregnancy, the risk of cervical cancer can increase.

Effective Ways to Prevent Cervical Cancer

There are very limited ways to treat cervical cancer. Ideally, it is best to get surgery first. Besides, the ways to treat cervical cancers include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy medicines, etc. Here are some more ways to prevent cervical cancer!

HPV Vaccination

HPV is an effective way to prevent cervical cancer. Make a note that HPV vaccination is just a prevention method, not a treatment method. If you have been exposed to a particular strain of HPV (there are 40 strains of HPV), the vaccination cannot heal the infection.

HPV vaccination is a series of shots that you must take to ensure protection from cancer-causing HPV infection.

There are three types of HPV vaccines, including the following!

Gardasil-9: It protects from infections such as HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.
Gardasil: This variant of the HPV vaccine protects from infections, including HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18.
Cervarix: This vaccination protects the patient from infection strains HPV 16 and 18.

Practice safe sex

It is best to use appropriate protection while having intercourse. Moreover, keep the sexual partners limited as this increases the chances of HPV infection.

1. Don’t smoke

As listed above, smoking can significantly increase the chances of getting an HPV infection. So, quit smoking to stay safe and healthy.

2. Pap tests

Pap tests are helpful in detecting precancerous conditions. These tests are necessary for women from the age of 21 and should be done after every few years.

Conclusion

Cervical cancer, the name itself, is super terrifying. However, if you stay cautious and align some pap tests and vaccinations across the years, you can stay away from it. The primary culprit for this cancer is HPV, but there is a specific vaccination for the same. With proper care and awareness, you can win the battle against cancer.

References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hpv-infection/in-depth/hpv-vaccine/art-20047292
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hpv/public/index.html