6 precautions to avoid cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is described as 'silent, but deadly'. The disease grows slowly and does not generally show symptoms in the early stages. For some people, it is often too late to receive effective treatment. The HPV vaccine can help prevent cervical cancer if you are eligible. The most common form of this problem begins with pre-cancerous changes and there are ways to prevent that.

How to test for cervical pre-cancers?

Screening tests can be a good way to prevent cervical cancers. These help to find conditions that may lead to cancer and find them before they can turn into invasive cancer. The Pap test and HPV (or human papillomavirus) tests are specific tests that can help screen for cervical cancer. If such a condition is found, it can be treated. Let us look at some of the precautions that can help to prevent cancers and pre-cancers.

Things to do to prevent cancers and pre-cancers

There are certain things that you do to prevent cancer based on your age, health and personal risk for developing cancer. Let us take a look at some of the steps that you can take.

1. Going for routine pap tests - The pap tests help doctors to detect abnormalities - the changes in the cells of the cervix. Then they can take action before the development of cervical cancer. Pap smears should be taken every 3 years, beginning at age 21 and every 5 years after you reach 30. Any bleeding with intercourse should also be evaluated by the best gynaecologist in Hyderabad.

1. Following up on abnormal pap smears - The doctor will offer treatment and repeat the pap test after some time if there is an infection. If something other than an infection is suggested by the test, the doctor will perform other tests to determine the problem. If there had been abnormal prior pap tests, the doctor could even perform an HPV DNA test.

1. Getting vaccinated - If you have a vaccine for cancer, why would you not use it? There are two vaccines - Gardasil and Cervarix. They can protect you against the most common types of cervical cancers and anal cancers in men. There are some recommendations for the dosage and who should receive it. The vaccination can start from around 11 and can be given at a later stage up to 26 years of age as well if there has been no sign of cervical cancer. It is strongly encouraged to vaccinate adolescents before they are exposed to HPV.

1. Practising safe sex - It has been seen through studies that women having multiple sexual partners have increased chances of developing HPV and a higher risk of cervical cancer. It is always advised to use condoms during sex if you are not trying to conceive.

1. Quit smoking - Smoking cigarettes would double the risk of developing cervical cancer. It has been seen that the by-products of tobacco can damage the DNA of cervix cells and contribute to the development of cervical cancer.

1. Diet - A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, along with regular physical activity, can reduce the risk of cervical cancer.

You need to visit the best gynaecologist in Hyderabad to receive the best medical advice.