In Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

The month of January of each year is dedicated globally to raise awareness for the early detection of cervical cancer and to raise community awareness about this cancerous scourge. Cervical cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, but when diagnosed in a timely manner, it is one of the most successfully treated types of cancer.

The cervix is ​​the small canal between the vagina and the uterus in the woman’s reproductive system, and its functions are very important, the most important of which is the ability to protect the internal reproductive organs from infections, in addition to the ability to maintain the integrity of the uterus until pregnancy is completed after 9 months.

But what is this type of cancer? What are its symptoms? How can it be treated? We brought many questions to the specialist in gynecological surgery, obstetrics and sexual health, Dr. Faisal Al-Qaq, who said in an interview with Lebanon 24 that the cervical region is one of the areas in the human body where cells are constantly renewed, which allows the disease to be detected quickly and work to treat it before it spreads.

Cervical cancer is considered one of the most common diseases in the world, and it is sometimes the first or second, and in other places it is considered one of the first five cancers that affect women, according to Al-Qaq, who pointed out that cervical cancer is a case of inflammation of the cells in the cervix. This inflammation leads to cancerous changes, as the cause of the inflammation is infection with the papilloma virus, or the so-called HPV, which is responsible for 99 percent of cervical cancer, and this virus infects these cells that are present and always change in the cervix. (superficial cells) and turns them into pre-cancerous cells and then cancerous cells.

Al-Qaq said: This type of cancer is preventable, especially since it develops very slowly, as it develops between 5 and 10 years, which gives it enough time to detect and treat it in the beginning, as periodic investigation, taking vaccines, and periodic examinations allow us to enter the refineries of countries completely free of cervical cancer. the womb.

Symptoms of cervical cancer
Regarding the symptoms of this type of cancer, Al-Qaq indicates that they are very clear and are:
– Change in cells
– Blood ulceration
– Gynecological bleeding
– Abnormal secretions
– Bleeding after intercourse
– Pressure in the pelvic area

These signs indicate the possibility of the presence of cervical cancer, in addition to the presence of influential factors that increase the risk of infection, such as sexual relations at an early age, unprotected sexual relations, and the number of births (more than 5-6 births). The more the number of births a woman has, the higher Risk levels, smoking, and living in difficult living and economic conditions due to women’s inability to undergo regular screening tests.

Treatments
Al-Qaq pointed out that early detection and conducting laboratory tests on a regular basis helps a lot in preventing infection with this type of cancer, with the need to strengthen and intensify awareness about vaccination, noting that the vaccine is taken in two doses between the ages of 9 and 15 years, and three doses within a period of 6 months. , beyond the age of 15 years.
As for treatments in case of infection, Al-Qaq explains that if the cases are pre-cancerous, their treatment is simple, and is through burning or peeling the skin, but if cancer is detected in advanced cases, we resort to existing protocols, whether surgical, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy.

Therefore, it is important to know that this type of cancer can be avoided and eliminated by applying a strategy of prevention and periodic investigation, as it is unacceptable after today for any woman to die from cervical cancer, and hence Al-Qaq called on all women to undergo the required examinations, wishing the media Shedding more light on this type of cancer and the importance of the vaccine and working with the Ministry of Health to raise awareness and spread knowledge about it.