Cervical Cancer Awareness Month: Get Screened, Be Vaccinated

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Highlights:

• January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
• It aims to raise awareness about the dangers of cervical cancer among women
• It encourages teenagers to get vaccinated and women to get screened regularly

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is observed in January every year. It aims to create awareness about the dangers of cervical cancer and highlight the ways to prevent it from occurring. Its major objective is to encourage adult women to get screened regularly and teenagers to get vaccinated in order to prevent cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer affects the cervix, which is the tube-like structure that connects the vagina with the uterus in the female genital tract. Since there is no specific treatment for cervical cancer, stress is given on preventive strategies.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV): The Causative Agent of Cervical Cancer

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are very common and most sexually active women become infected sometime in their lifetimes. Most HPV infections, such as those that cause genital warts, are harmless and are cleared naturally by the body. However, some types of HPV can cause changes in the cells and tissues lining the cervix. If these changes are not detected early, it can lead to cervical cancer. Besides cervical cancer, HPV can also cause cancers of the anus, penis, vagina, vulva, and oral cavity.

‘Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is observed in January every year. It aims to create awareness about the importance of HPV screening and vaccination for the prevention of cervical cancer.’

There are over 100 types of HPV, of which around 30 cause cancer. Of these, HPV 16 and 18 pose the highest risk and are responsible for over 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. Other high-risk types include 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. On the other hand, HPV 6 and 11 rarely cause cancer, but are responsible for over 90 percent of cases of genital warts.

HPV & Cervical Cancer: Facts & Figures

• HPV infections occur in 45 percent of men between 18-59 years of age
• HPV infections occur in 40 percent of women between 18-59 years of age
• 570,000 new cervical cancer cases occur annually worldwide
• 311,000 deaths from cervical cancer occur annually worldwide
• 80 percent of cervical cancer cases occur in low-income countries
• 90 percent of cervical cancer deaths occur in low-income countries
• In India, cervical cancer is responsible for 6-29 percent of all cancers in women
• In India, the incidence of cervical cancer is 5-23 per 100,000 women
• 90 percent of HPV cancers can be prevented by vaccination
  

(https:www.cinj.org/sites/cinj/files/documents/January%20Cervical%20Health%20Awareness%20Month%202019.pdf)

Source: Medindia

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