Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that although slow-growing can be deadly if left untreated for too long. The recent death of television personality Jade Goody has brought home all too clearly the devastating effect that cervical cancer can have on women, and has also highlighted that young women are also at risk of developing cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer, however, is a type of cancer that can be preventable if women undergo regular medical checks and screening per government and health department regulations. Cervical cancer is caused by particular strains of the HPV virus, and vaccination against these strains may help young women avoid catching this strain of the virus, and therefore help them avoid contracting cervical cancer. Undergoing regular pap smear screening is another way that women can be tested for the presence of cancerous or precancerous cells in the cervix.
Although these screening methods can be highly successful in identifying and preventing cervical cancer, they can only be effective if women undergo regular check-ups or opt to have the HPV vaccination. Skipping check-ups, failing to inform a doctor about past abnormal results, or ignoring symptoms such as spotting, discomfort or pain in the pelvic area can be high-risk behaviours that may lead to early stage cervical cancer developing into something far more dangerous and difficult to treat.
This website aims to help inform women, their families, their friends and other individuals about cervical cancer, its signs and symptoms, its prevalence, its risk factors, and how it may be treated. However, the overall message of this site is to encourage women to become aware of the risks and signs of cervical cancer, and to ensure that they are informed not only about cervical cancer’s occurrence and symptoms, but about the ways of preventing cervical cancer as well.
Cervical cancer can be a deadly disease, but with today’s medical advances there is no need for it to be this way. By visiting the doctor for a regular check-up, and ensuring that you know your past medical history as well as your family’s medical history, you can ensure that you’re in a good position to guard against contracting this illness, or at least ensure that it is caught in its precancerous or early stages.
We welcome you to browse the site, or to visit ovariancancer.org.uk for more information about gynaecological cancers, or cancerinformation.co.uk for information about cancer more generally.