Can Cervical Cancer in Women Be Prevented?

Yeditepe University Hospitals Gynecological Oncology Specialist Prof. Dr. Orhan Ünal gave information about cervical cancer and prevention methods:

Cervical cancer is the third most common form among cancers of the female reproductive organs and can have serious consequences if not diagnosed early. Approximately 500,000 women die each year from cervical cancer, most of them in the developing world. The most important difference of cervical cancer from other cancers is that the cause is known and can be prevented. The cause of cervical cancer is the sexually transmitted Human Papillomavirus.

In women infected with the Human Papillomavirus, a number of microscopic lesions develop in the cervix before cervical cancer develops, and these changes are pre-cancerous changes. These precancerous lesions, called cervical dysplasia, can be detected by pap smear examination taken from the cervix. The initiating factor in cervical dysplasia and carcinogenesis is Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

Genital HPV infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease worldwide today. It is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact during sex.