Cervical cancer is the silent agent destroying women’s bodies. This article will list 4 common methods to detect cancer.

Overview

Definition

The cervix is the lowest part of the uterus, connecting a woman’s uterus and vagina.

Cervical cancer is malignant tumors that appear in squamous or glandular epithelial cells. These cells grow abnormally, forming tumors. There are two types of tumors: benign and malignant.

To a certain point, these tumors will be able to metastasize to other parts such as the lungs, vagina, bladder, rectum, liver, etc., impair their functions and significantly impact people with cancer.

Causes

There are many causes of cervical cancer. However, up to 99% of cases are due to the HPV virus. Other reasons include:

• • Early, unsafe sex
  • Cigarette smokers or people exposed to cigarette smoke
  • Old age
  • Weakened immune system

Symptoms

In early-stage cancer, there are often no apparent symptoms. They only appear when the disease has become severe. Therefore, if you detect the following symptoms in your body, visit a medical facility for checkups:

• • Irregular menstrual cycle
  • Blood discharge outside of the menstrual cycle
  • Blood discharge when urinating or defecating (symptoms of metastatic cervical cancer)
  • Frequent tiredness, sudden weight loss

What can detect cervical cancer?

Early-stage cancer usually does not show abnormal symptoms, so it is difficult to diagnose whether a person has cervical cancer or not. Cancer screening is a method to detect this disease early, even when the patient has shown no symptoms.

Currently, there are four common cancer screening methods:

Gynecological examination

A gynecological examination is an inspecting process of female genital organs, including the cervix. Through this process, doctors can diagnose diseases such as vaginitis, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, etc., then establish a treatment regimen suitable for each case. 

Additionally, gynecological examination helps women understand the genital organs’ health and function, and know how to take care of them to prevent diseases. A gynecological examination is extremely important; therefore, women should perform this examination every 6 months.

Pap Smear test

A Pap Smear test is a type of cervical cancer smear test that identifies any abnormal cell in the cervix caused by the HPV virus.

To perform this test, the patient needs to lie on their back on a specialized bed for gynecological examination, both knees bent. The doctor will insert an instrument called a speculum inside the vagina to widen its opening, making the smearing process easier.

Next, the doctor will use a swab to take a sample from the cervix. This sample is then brought into the laboratory for analysis.

Thinprep test

This is also a cervical smear test.

The sample collection procedure is similar to the Pap Smear test. However, instead of being sent to a laboratory for analysis immediately, the sample is placed in a fixative liquid in the Thinprep vial. Then, the vial is brought to the laboratory to extract cells and smear them on the microscope slide to analyze.

HPV virus test

Cervical cancer is mainly caused by the HPV virus. Therefore, testing to detect this virus is very important in the diagnosis of cancer.

This test cannot confirm whether a person has cancer. However, based on the results, doctors can detect the possibility of having cancer, as well as take preventive measures to prevent the disease.

Notes before performing cancer screening

• • Do not have sex 2-3 days before cervical cancer screening.
  • Screening should be done 2-3 days after menstruation.
  • Do not use vaginal suppositories during the examination.
  • Do not use tampons or menstrual cups during the examination.
  • Choose a reliable medical facility for cervical cancer screening.

Cervical cancer is a very dangerous disease for women. Therefore, remember to perform regular cervical cancer screening to ensure your health.