India’s first indigenously developed quadrivalent Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer will be launched here on Thursday, officials said on Wednesday.
In fact, this is one of the last vaccines that will be launched in the programme. Now, Indian vaccines will be available and we hope that it will be launched in the National Immunisation programme for 9-14-year-old girls.
It is very effective and prevents cervical cancer because, 85% to 90% of cases, cervical cancer is because of this particular virus and this vaccine is against those viruses. So, if we give it to our young children and daughters, they are protected from the infection and consequently probably 30 years later, cancer does not occur.
• According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, 41, 91,000 women have died due to cervical cancer in India since 2019.
🔎WHAT IS CERVICAL CANCER :
Cervical cancer is a cancer arising from the cervix. It is due to the abnormal growth of cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body.Early on, typically no symptoms are seen. Later symptoms may include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain or pain during sexual intercours. While bleeding after sex may not be serious, it may also indicate the presence of cervical cancer.
🔎SYMPTOMS :
🧿 Blood spots or light bleeding between or following periods.
🧿 Menstrual bleeding that is longer and heavier than usual.
🧿 Bleeding after intercourse, douching, or a pelvic examination.
🧿 Increased vaginal discharge.
🧿 Pain during sexual intercourse.
🧿 Bleeding after menopause.
🧿 Unexplained, persistent pelvic and/or back pain.
🔎TREATMENT:
⬛ Surgery: Doctors remove cancer tissue in an operation.
⬛ Chemotherapy: Using special medicines to shrink or kill the cancer.
⬛ Radiation: Using high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer.
🔎SCREENING FOR CERVICAL CANCER :
When cervical cancer screening is carried out, professionals examine cells retrieved from the ectocervix through a smear test for suspicious changes in them. If there are mild signs of abnormality, the patient is advised to come in for regular monitoring.
If more severe abnormalities are detected, the patient may be advised to undergo a colposcopy where the cervix can be visually and microscopically analyzed to identify the type and severity of the lesion, whether benign, precancerous or cancerous.
The three tests commonly used for cervical cancer screening include:
⬛ HPV testing of cervical cell samples to identify the presence of DNA or RNA from high-risk strains of virus, even without visible or microscopic cell changes.
⬛ Conventional testing (Pap/smear tests) and liquid-based cytology.
⬛ Visual inspection.
HPV testing in cervical cancer screening is indicated for :
🧿 Women who had abnormal Pap tests and require follow-up for confirmation.
🧿 Women over the age of 30 years who also have a Pap test done.
🧿 Women over the age of 25 years.
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