Oncologist dispels myths about cervical cancer

Cervical cancer remains a disease that remains surrounded by many fears and outdated beliefs. Misconceptions about the human papillomavirus (HPV), vaccination, and the need for examinations can prevent a woman from seeing a doctor on time. Anastasia Fatyanova, an expert at the Hemotest Laboratory, an oncologist, Candidate of Medical Sciences, told Izvestia about this on June 3.

According to the expert, one of the common myths is that HPV detection supposedly inevitably leads to cancer. However, according to the doctor, in 90% of young and healthy women, the body gets rid of the virus on its own within two years. In addition, not all HPV types are oncogenic.

"The virus can live in the body for years, and only in some cases it leads to cell changes. In the early stages, these changes, if they occur, respond well to therapy. In addition, not all variants of the human papillomavirus are oncogenic, that is, they can provoke cancer," the doctor explained.

Another misconception is related to HPV vaccination. Some believe that the vaccine can cause cancer, but Fatyanova stressed that the vaccine does not contain a live virus or its DNA, so it is impossible to get infected from it. On the contrary, it helps the immune system to recognize the virus and produce antibodies, reducing the risk of developing the disease.

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The third myth, the doctor called the opinion that in the absence of pain and bleeding, an examination is not required. According to her, the early stages of cervical cancer often do not manifest themselves in any way, and pain appears even when the tumor has increased and affected neighboring tissues. Screening is necessary for early detection of changes — regular checkups with a gynecologist and special tests.

"Starting from the age of twenty-one, a PAP test is taken every three years, and from thirty to sixty-five years, it is optimal to do both a PAP test and an HPV test once every five years," Fatyanova noted.

Another common misconception concerns age. There is an opinion that cervical cancer does not occur in young women under 25 years of age and in patients after menopause. However, there are two peaks of morbidity: the first occurs at 35-45 years of age, the second — at the age over 65 years.

Fatyanova stressed that cervical cancer is one of the tumors that can be prevented by vaccination and detected at an early stage through regular examinations. Routine analyses every three to five years make it possible to detect changes before severe consequences develop.

"Do not believe in gloomy myths. It is important to follow modern recommendations for prevention and see a gynecologist once a year," the doctor concluded.

Andrey Kaprin, chief freelance oncologist at the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (MOH), said on May 26 that skin cancer in Russia is most often suffered by citizens aged 70 to 75 years, but no age guarantees protection from the development of melanoma. Lesions can occur in the eyeball, on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and in the intestine.