Cervical cancer used to be one of the most common causes of cancer death in women in India. Today, lives are saved because more women are routinely screened with a Pap test (also called a Pap smear).

AT RISK
 
Women who are infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus
Women who don’t have regular Pap tests
Women who smoke
Women who have used birth control pills for a long time
Women with weakened immune systems

RISK REDUCTION AND EARLY DETECTION
 
 
Avoid infection with HPV, by using condoms or spermicide correctly and consistently during sex. Avoiding HPV is the most important way to reduce your risk of cervical cancer.
Don’t smoke, and don’t breathe in second-hand smoke.
 
 
 
Begin regular screening three years after becoming sexually active. Get screened every year with the standard Pap test, or every two years with the newer liquid-based Pap test. (Screening is not helpful for a woman who does not have a cervix as a result of a hysterectomy — surgical removal of the uterus and cervix — for a condition not related to cancer.)
 
 
 
At age 30, consider adding an HPV test to the Pap test for your regular screening. (After three normal Pap tests and a negative HPV test, a woman may get screened every three years with a Pap test and an HPV test. However, if she has been exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) before birth, is infected with HIV or has a weakened immune system, she should continue to have yearly screening.)
 
Consider getting the HPV vaccine. The vaccine is most effective if given before a person has become sexually active.
If you have had a total hysterectomy for reasons related to cancer, continue regular screening.

SYMPTOMS

Precancerous conditions in the cervix usually cause no symptoms and are not detected unless a woman has a pelvic exam and Pap test. If a woman experiences any of the following symptoms, she should discuss them with her health care professional:
 
Increased or unusual discharge from the vagina
Blood spots or light bleeding at times other than during a normal period
Menstrual bleeding that lasts longer and is heavier than usual
Post-menopausal bleeding
Bleeding or pain during or after sex

TREATMENT

Cervical cancer is treated through surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy, alone or in combination. Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer, the type of tumor cells and a woman's medical condition.