Women have cycles. Their female reproductive system determines their sexual life, times of pleasure, menstruation, and fertility. Some women experience pregnancies and others decide not to experience them. This system is part of that encounter with femininity.
In this article we will talk about the cervix, which is part of the uterus or womb, is located just at the end of the vagina and can become infected with cancer cells.
Myths and taboos mean that many women arrive at the advanced stages of the disease, which makes the recovery process more complicated, says Dr. Neri Lemus, chief resident of the National League Against Cancer. On the contrary, when it is detected in time, it is one of the most curable diseases.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are more than 100 types of HPV, of which at least 14 are oncogenic or pose a high risk for cancer. It is a fact that the majority of women in the world will have the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and eight out of 10 will be infected at some point in their lives, according to statistics.
Most of the time the body will eliminate this virus itself, while other times it will grow and become cancer.
Cervical cancer is reported throughout Guatemala. The National League Against Cancer showed some details of about 50 random patients from a group of 11,000.
This an exercise to demonstrate that even in a small sample, there are women from all parts of the country and there are cases of patients who are between 20 and 70 years old, a small reflection of a reality that is experienced daily in this care center and that is replicated in other clinics and hospitals.
“These numbers translate into names of young women, mothers, and grandmothers suffering and affecting entire families. Cancer does not discriminate based on economic status or place of birth, it is just as present in the city as it is in Chimaltenango or Quetzaltenango,” says Salvador López, director of the Department of Prevention, Research and Health Education (Piensa).
It is important to address this issue with both women and men, say professionals. Men are the main transmitters of the virus, usually through sexual contact, and women are the most affected when developing the disease.
Here we will learn about some of the myths or beliefs that prevent diagnosis and treatment in time.
1. A pap smear does not give all the information
A Pap test is a test that takes cells from the opening of the cervix, which are then examined under a microscope. The patient lies on a table with her legs in stirrups. An instrument called a speculum is placed inside the vagina to slightly open it for the test.
However, this test cannot be done too often or only once. The recommendation is to do it every year because even if it is negative, cancer cells could be forming and signs of the disease could be found at the next appointment. What is looked for with this test is irritation, infections, herpes viruses, and abnormal cells, among other details.
It is recommended to do so from the age of 21, or three years after becoming sexually active.
2. Fear of the doctor
The doctors interviewed emphasized that the health system must be strengthened to have more screening options in all regions of Guatemala. In general statistics, 80 percent of women have never had a pap smear in rural areas.
A timely examination can make a difference in detecting the disease at its earliest stages. In addition, more needs to be known about the need for this examination because many women hold back for fear that someone else will observe their private parts and also their partners, out of jealousy, prevent them from visiting a specialist.
It is important to consider that HPV infection causes 528 thousand cases of cervical cancer and 266 thousand deaths annually. In addition, the test has a high sensitivity, is inexpensive, and has minimal side effects. Here are details of the campaign currently being held by the National League Against Cancer.
3. The latent risk even if you are faithful
It is a disease that is transmitted sexually. Even if women are faithful, if their partner has multiple partners, they run the risk of infection.
The likelihood of contracting it increases when you smoke, have many children, have several sexual partners, have your first birth before the age of 17, and have used birth control pills for a long time.
4. A vaccine that does not reach everyone
There is a vaccine against the most dangerous HPV viruses. HPV vaccines are available in 35 countries, but the Pan American Health Organization explains that coverage rates with two doses do not reach 80% of girls.
Lemus explains that this vaccine can also be applied to men, although there is still no data on the impact this would have on the population.
The recommendation is to apply it to children between 9 and 14 years of age, before sexual intercourse. This vaccine is also recommended for people up to 26 years of age. It is administered as a series of three doses.
5. Wait for the symptoms
At first, the disease is silent and asymptomatic. The problem is that women sometimes seek help too late.
The classic symptoms of an advanced stage are blood-tinged vaginal discharge, especially after sexual intercourse, pelvic pain, rectal bleeding or constipation, as well as edema or swelling in the lower extremities.
In addition to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, other ablative methods using cold or heat may also be recommended, such as cryotherapy, and thermocoagulation, among others. For some patients, other types of treatments may be available.
After the first year of being treated for the disease, you will need to go for follow-up every three months, which will continue in different cycles during the first five years. After the fifth year, you will also be recommended to go to the doctor periodically to monitor that it does not appear again.