Lower tummy pain can be a sign of a more serious condition.
Ahead of cervical cancer awareness week, an expert has shared the common "red flag" symptoms to watch out for. According to the NHS, cervical cancer is a cancer that’s found anywhere in the cervix, between the vagina and the womb.
Over 3,000 people a year are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK alone, but 99.8% cases are preventable. It can often be prevented by attending cervical screening, which aims to find and treat changes to cells before they turn into cancer.
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In light of Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, which takes place between January 23-29, Patient Claim Line’s Senior Litigation Executive, Kate Goodman and Litigation Executive, Alexandra Penk have released advice on what the red-flag symptoms of cervical cancer are and what to do if you’ve received delayed treatment.
The common signs include unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge and pain in your lower back/tummy or during sex. Kate Goodman said: "If you notice any unusual vaginal bleeding such as bleeding between periods, after the menopause, or heavier periods than normal, this can be a sign of cervical cancer.
"It is important to remember that just because you have a symptom that could be cervical cancer, this does not mean that you will have it. Many other common conditions have these symptoms but it is important that you still get checked, do not wait until your routine smear test."
Cervical screening
Cervical screening is one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer. It is not a test for cancer, it's a test to help prevent cancer by checking cells for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). These types of HPV can cause abnormal changes to the cells in your cervix and are called "high risk" types of HPV.
If you have a cervix and have had any kind of sexual contact, with a man or a woman, you could get cervical cancer. This is because nearly all cervical cancers are caused by infection with high risk types of HPV. You can get HPV through vaginal, oral or anal sex, any skin-to-skin contact of the genital area and sharing sex toys.
Alexandra Penk added: "Cervical cancer can be prevented by making more women aware of its importance and, in order to achieve this greater awareness." Alexandra adds women should:
Attend cervical screening when invited by their health practitioner
Be aware of the symptoms of cervical cancer and seeking medical advice if experiencing any symptoms
Take up the HPV vaccination if aged 11-18 when offered
Talk to family and friends to ensure they know how they can reduce their risk and prevent cancer occurring
Know where to find support locally and further information which will be widely available at your GP and local family planning clinic
Currently, women between the ages of 25 and 64 are invited for a cervical smear test every three years, with those over 50 invited every five years until they turn 64. Speaking about cancer treatment, Kate Goodman said: "Treatment of cervical cancer will depend upon your individual situation, but may include chemotherapy or radiotherapy and potentially surgery such as a hysterectomy."
More about cervical screening can be found via the NHS website here.
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