Cervical cancer is a disease in which malignant, cancerous cells form in the tissues of the cervix. It is a frequent pathology that can be detected in time with controls, for which a gynecologist from San Juan explained in dialogue with HUARPE DAILY What are the studies that should be carried out?
This is Dr. Cecilia Olivares, who assured that this malignant pathology is the second leading cause of gynecological death, the first being breast cancer. They want citizens to take into account the importance of controlling themselves because, initially, this disease can be asymptomatic.
“One can detect it in gynecological controls. There are three methods to detect it, one of them is the Pap smear, the other is the HPV test, because one of the causes of neck cancer is caused by this virus or human papillomavirus, and the other is colposcopy,” he reported. olive groves.
He also announced that specialists usually recommend annual control to have a complete picture of gynecological health. It asks for a Pap smear, a breast exam and complementary studies such as breast ultrasound, gynecological ultrasound, blood tests and serology to detect other sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C or syphilis.
Studies are essential to detect it early, since this type of cancer is usually asymptomatic. That is why when the patient presents symptoms it is already a late stage where she may not even have effective treatment. Among the symptoms that can be detected is postcoital bleeding or abnormal bleeding between menstrual cycles. In more advanced stages there are lesions that can affect the kidney, urinary disorders and chronic pelvic pain.
“Cervical cancer can be prevented with annual gynecological check-ups. From the Nation guidelines they recommend that a Pap smear be done from the age of 25, another the following year and, later, every three years if they are negative. The HPV test can be done from the age of 30 and every three years”, he explained.
In the event that a cotest is done, that is, that the HPV test and the pap are done, the control can be spaced every five years.
However, both she and a large number of gynecologists recommend that a pap be done annually from the year of the beginning of relationships. “This is because there are people who start very early and we have had advanced-stage neck cancer in those under 25 years of age,” Olivares commented.
If this type of cancer is detected, the specialist refers to an oncogynecologist because the patients must be seen together to analyze what treatment should be performed. It will depend on the size and the affected area of the lesion. If it is a very advanced stage, it is generally not operable and the treatment is with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. If it is an earlier stage, it may be operable and the surgery will depend on the area affected by the injury.
“It could be simply removing the uterus with the neck or already having to remove lymph nodes or parametria that are other neighboring structures of the uterus and the neck,” Olivares revealed.
According to existing pre-pandemic statistics, between 4,000 and 4,500 cervical cancers are detected in Argentina per year, which causes about 2,000 deaths. That is why gynecologists spread the importance of controls to detect it in time.
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