By
Brenda Zulu
Q.
What is cervical cancer?
A. This is an
abnormal growth of cells on a woman’s cervix.
Q.
What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?
A. In it’s the
early stage the disease is asymptomatic. It will start symptoms in the late
stages as listed below:
Bleeding after
intercourse (sexual intercourse)
Post Menopause
bleeding
Intermenstrual
bleeding
An increase in
the length or amount of bleeding
Waterly or blood
or odoriferous vaginal discharge
Pain during
sexual intercourse
Lower back pain
Weight loss
Yellowish
vaginal discharge
Blood in urine
Q.
Are there different type of cervical cancer?
A. No, but we have
different types of Human Papilloma Viruses (HPVs). Not all HPVs cause cancer of
the cervix but some cause genital warts.
Q.
Who is at risk of cervical cancer?
Every woman who
is sexually active.
Risk factors
include
Early onset of
sexual intercourse before 18 years of age
Multiple sex
partners
Tobacco use
Alcohol abuse
History of
sexually transmitted disease eg HPV
Multiple
Pregnancies
Infection with
HPV Virus
Decreased level
of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Folic Acid in the diet
Q. What is cervical cancer screening? What
methods are available in Zambia?
Screening is the
test done to determine wherether abnormal cells are present at the cervic, or
not.
There are two
methods available in Zambia, the Visual Inspection with Ascetic Acid (VIA),
which uses common household vinegar applied to the cervix for a few minutes and
visualized through special camera lens that magnify the picture of the cervix
to see whether there are changes in the cells.
The other method
is the Pap smear test which is when cells are taken frfom tehsurface and senr
to the laboratory to be checked for abnormality. With the VIA, results are seen
almost immediately whereas the pap smear test usually takes about two weeks for
the results to be known. However, both these tests should be done by qualified
personnel, with special instruments that open up the vaginal canal.
Q.
How important is cervical screening and how many times should it be done?
This is very
important and should ideally be done annually if the first result was negative
for cancer. However, it is vitally important that individuals with compromised
immunity be checked often or as per health practitioners’ advice. If the test
was positive, the health care provider will advise on how often one should go
back for another test.
Q.
What age group of women should undergo cervical cancer screening?
All sexually
active women or women who are 18 years of age and above (Child bearing age)
Q.
How effective is the treatment?
The earlier the
stage of cancer, the better the treatment and cure rate. In its earliest stage,
cancer of the cervix is totally surable. The treatment in the later stage is
determined by how far the cancer has spread.
Q.
Why is cervical cancer the second cause of death for women in Zambia?
Women in Zambia
rarely get check ups/screened
Nature of the
disease, the early stage has no signs or symptoms
Women don’t see
their cervix, so have no way of detecting changes in the cervix
Lack of
screening/ treatment services especially in rural areas
Women are
vulnerable.
Q.
How should women react to positive cervical cancer results after screening?
They should take
this as an eye opener and make sure that they follow exactly what the health
care practioner tells them and keep their follow up appointments.
Q. How safe is a baby born from a mother with
cervical cancer?
Cancer of the
cervix affects the woman’s cervix. It has no effect on the baby.
Q.
How safe is pregnant mother with cervical cancer?
This depends on
what stage the cancer is in. Cancer is usually a slow progressing disease and
usually given after delivery, so a pregnant woman should remember to go back
for treatment six weeks after delivery.
Q.
Where can women get treatment for cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer
screening and treatment for is available at most DHMT clinic including Kanyama,
Chawama, George, Matero reference, Ngombe. Mtendere, Kalingalinga, Chelstone,
UTH-AIDC building, Chongwe, Monze mission hospital, Chilenje, Bauleni and the
Cancer diseases hospital at UTH.
Q.
Is there a relationship between cervical cancer and HIV?
YES, just as
there is a relationship between HIV and any other disease. Women who have HIV
are more predisposed to having cervical cancer because of their compromised
immune system, and also cancer progresses at a faster rate in women with HIV than
in those who are negative, therefore it is important for HIV positive women to
get screened regularly.
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