Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is in January. Studies indicate a surge in late-stage cervical cancer. Cleveland Clinic physicians speculate that the pandemic and updated pap smear standards may have contributed to that.
Previously, ladies were advised to have these done once a year. Currently, it occurs every three years, and occasionally every five years. Regular pap screenings are essential since cervical cancer can be difficult to detect in its early stages and often has no symptoms. The cervix, the lowest portion of a woman’s uterus, can have abnormal cells, and the test can assist identify them.
To count by threes is a little challenging. Furthermore, our guidelines state that if your pap smear is performed differently, the screening routine may alter slightly. It is quite easy to lose track of when your pap smear was performed. And that, in my opinion, might be one of the problems contributing to the discovery of more advanced cervical cancer than what is being seen in the US, according to Cleveland Clinic physician Dr. Robert DeBernardo.
When symptoms do appear, they may include vaginal discharge that contains blood, pelvic pain, and bleeding after sex. A vaccination can prevent cervical cancer.
“Several vaccines that we developed years ago are currently available on the market and have proven to be very effective in preventing cancer.”
According to Dr. DeBernardo, HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, is frequently the cause of cervical cancer, which is avoidable. Thus, checking for that is just as crucial. Likewise, men and women between the ages of 11 and 45 are eligible to receive the HPV vaccination.
The CDC estimates that there are about 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer identified in the US each year, along with 4,000 fatal cases.
