Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month September 2022
September is gynaecological cancer awareness month. Cancer research UK published numbers of those diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer each year.
The stats
(Cancer Research, 2022).
What is Cervical Cancer screening?
A smear test for cervical screening evaluates the condition of the cervix. The cervix is the opening to your womb from your vagina.
It's a test to aid in cancer prevention, not a diagnostic for cancer.
Everyone who has a cervix and is between the ages of 25 and 64 should be invited via letter. You will have a small sample of cells extracted from your cervix during the screening exam.
The sample is examined for certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) that can alter the cervix's cells. These HPV strains are referred to as "high risk." You do not require any more testing if these strains of HPV are not discovered.
The sample is next examined for any alterations in the cells of your cervix if certain forms of HPV are discovered. Before they have an opportunity to develop into cervical cancer, these can then be treated.
When to anticipate receiving your findings letter will be specified by the nurse or doctor. (NHS, 2019).
Cervical abnormal cell alterations are frequent and frequently get well on their own. However, since there is a chance that they could turn into cancer, these changes occasionally need to be treated.
Normal changes don't manifest any symptoms. Without a cervical screening, you will not be able to determine if you are affected. The abnormal cell alterations that are most likely to develop into cancer are found during screening. Then, these cells can be treated (Macmillan, n.d.).
What is HPV?
The term "human papillomavirus" (HPV) refers to a family of viruses that are extremely widespread. Most people have no issues with them, but other varieties might result in genital warts or cancer.
Skin is affected by HPV. More than a hundred different varieties exist. (NHS Choices, 2019).
HPV affects both the skin and any mucous membrane (mucosa) including:
the cervix, the lining of the mouth and throat, the vagina, the vulva, and the anus (back passage).
HPV is typically transmitted during sex. Because HPV lives on our skin, it is simple to contract and challenging to totally avoid. Eight out of ten men and women will contract HPV at some point in their life. The majority of the time, HPV will be eliminated by your immune system without any negative effects (imogenpinnell, 2018).
HPV and cervical cancer
The human papillomavirus causes more than 95% of cases of cervical cancer (HPV).
The most frequent viral infection of the reproductive system is HPV. The majority of sexually active women and men will contract the disease at some point in their life, and some may contract it more than once. Over 90% of affected people eventually recover from the virus.
The most widespread condition associated with HPV is by far cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is almost always caused by HPV infection.
All women are at risk for HPV infections becoming chronic and pre-cancerous lesions developing into invasive cervical cancer, even though the majority of HPV infections and pre-cancerous lesions resolve spontaneously.
In women with healthy immune systems, cervical cancer takes 15 to 20 years to develop. In women with compromised immune systems, such as those with untreated HIV infection, it can happen in just 5 to 10 years (World Health Organization, 2022).
The World Health Organisation Response
“The World Health Assembly adopted the global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem. The definition of elimination of cervical cancer has been set up as a country reaching the threshold of less than 4 cases of cervical cancer per 100 000 women per year. To reach this threshold by the end of 21st century, WHO has set up the 90-70-90 targets to be reached by 2030 and to be maintained (WHA 73.2) (4).
- 90% of girls fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by age 15;
- 70% of women are screened with a high-performance test by 35, and again by 45 years of age.; and
- 90% of women identified with cervical disease receive treatment (90% of women with pre-cancer treated; 90% of women with invasive cancer managed).
WHO has developed guidance and tools on how to prevent and control cervical cancer through vaccination, screening and treatment, management of invasive cancer. WHO works with countries and partners to develop and implement comprehensive programmes in line with the global strategy.” (World Health Organization, 2022).
The government public health campaign for raising awareness around cervical cancer first ran in 2019.
“Be Clear on Cancer: first national 'Cervical Screening Saves Lives' campaign
The first national ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’ campaign ran from 5 March 2019 to 30 April 2019 in England, as part of the wider Be Clear on Cancer initiative.
Campaign messages
The core campaign messages were:
- cervical screening can stop cancer before it starts
- don’t ignore your cervical screening invite. If you missed your last cervical screening, book an appointment with your GP practice now.
Conclusions of this study
The first national cervical screening campaign appears to have had an impact on the number of cervical carcinomas in situ diagnosed, for all ages.” (Gov.UK, 2022).
The vaccine
The NHS website has a large repository of information on the HPV vaccine which can be found using the link below.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/hpv-human-papillomavirus-vaccine/
Charities
Cancer research UK Fund cancer research to find ways to beat cancer. They also fundraise, every penny of which goes back into funding important research.
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/womens-cancer
Jos Trust is the UK’s largest national charity for cervical cancer. Their website has a wealth of information and gives readers the chance to donate, fundraise, and get involved in raising awareness.
The trust was set up in 1999 by London Businessman James Maxwell in memory of his wife Jo who sadly lost her life to Cervical cancer at the age of 40.
The registered charity ovarian cancer action raises awareness, fundraise and fund huge research projects into ovarian cancer with a view to drive down these horrifying numbers -
“And while we’re talking numbers, here’s another: one woman dies in the UK from ovarian cancer every two hours. Although five-year survival rates for ovarian cancer are improving, other cancers, such as breast cancer, had better survival rates two generations ago than ovarian cancer does today. We’re here to change all that. And we’re following two routes to achieve that change: awareness raising and scientific research.” (Action, 2022).
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Action, O.C. (2022). About Ovarian Cancer Action. [online] Ovarian Cancer Action. Available at: https://ovarian.org.uk/about-us/about-oca/ [Accessed 23 Sep. 2022].
Cancer Research UK (2017). About cervical screening | Cervical cancer | Cancer Research UK. [online] Cancerresearchuk.org. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cervical-cancer/getting-diagnosed/screening/about.
Cancer Research, U. (2022). Women’s cancers (gynaecological cancer) | Cancer Research UK. [online] www.cancerresearchuk.org. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/womens-cancer.
imogenpinnell (2018). About HPV. [online] Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust. Available at: https://www.jostrust.org.uk/information/hpv/what-is-hpv.
Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust (2019). Cervical Cancer. [online] Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust. Available at: https://www.jostrust.org.uk/.
Macmillan (n.d.). Cervical screening - Macmillan Cancer Support. [online] www.macmillan.org.uk. Available at: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/diagnostic-tests/cervical-screening.
NHS (2019). Overview - Cervical screening. [online] NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/.
NHS Choices (2019). Human papillomavirus (HPV). [online] NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/human-papilloma-virus-hpv/.
UK Gov (n.d.). Be Clear on Cancer: first national ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’ campaign. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/be-clear-on-cancer-first-national-cervical-screening-saves-lives-campaign.
UK, G. (2022). Cancers diagnosed in the National Cancer Data Repository. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/be-clear-on-cancer-first-national-cervical-screening-saves-lives-campaign/cancer-diagnosed-in-the-national-cancer-registration-dataset [Accessed 22 Sep. 2022].
World Health Organization (2022). Cervical cancer. [online] www.who.int. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cervical-cancer.
