Cervical cancer is a kind of cancer that affects the cells of the cervix, which links the uterus to the vagina. It’s caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which usually spreads through sexual contact. The immune system of the body is known to protect the HPV virus from causing severe damage. On the other hand, the virus can live for several years and, in some women, can cause cervix cells to become malignant. Cervical cancer accounts for a sizable proportion of all cancer cases in women in India. In India, here’s everything you need to know about cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is slow-growing, easy to detect, and, in many circumstances, an avoidable disease. Regular screening can help to reduce the mortality of cervical cancer. An oncologist can perform this screening program in Kolkata, which can be beneficial in several ways.

Benefits of a screening program in cervical cancer prevention and treatment – 

• A Pap test can detect aberrant, precancerous cervical cells before cervical cancer develops, and a specialized HPV test can detect the virus. Irregular Pap test results may necessitate a follow-up HPV test to confirm, followed by a colposcopy, which is a thorough inspection of your cervical tissue.
• Regular testing aid in precancerous alterations detection in cervical cells. These precancerous cells may revert to normal, or they may progress to cervical cancer. In real life, only a small percentage of HPV infections result in precancerous cells, and only a minor portion of precancerous cells develop into cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is uncommon, but HPV infection is.
• If you and your cancer doctor are alerted to the existence of precancerous cells by frequent screening, you and your doctor can treat them before cancer starts. 
• If you are overdue for a Pap test or are unclear when you should have one, please call The Women’s Center-right once. A woman needs to regularly visit an oncologist in Kolkata after 55 to prevent cervical cancer or other abnormalities. 

Treatment options for Newly Diagnosed cervical cancer –   If your cervical cancer has progressed beyond the cervix and into the surrounding pelvic tissues, an oncologist in Kolkata may recommend the below types of treatment depending on your health condition and spread of cancer

Surgery – Initial stage of cervical cancer is treated with surgery instead of radiation treatment and chemotherapy. The doctor may also use a combination of surgery and chemotherapy if you have specific high-risk disease characteristics at the time of your surgery. It indicates a greater chance of the cancer returning, such as cancer cells in your lymph nodes or surgically removed portions of the tissue.

Radiation and chemotherapy – When doctors prescribe radiation and chemotherapy instead of surgery, they usually mix external-beam radiation treatment with internal radiation therapy. External-beam radiation therapy consists of five weeks of daily x-ray treatments. During this treatment, low doses of chemotherapeutic medicines are utilized to sensitize cancer cells to radiation therapy.

Internal radiation is then administered via high-dose brachytherapy, in which high doses of radioactive material are delivered directly to the tumor using a specialized applicator. Intensity-modulated radiation treatment (IMRT) may also be used in specialized methods in external-beam radiation therapy. 

Treatment for Advanced-stage cervical cancer – If your gynecological cancer has progressed beyond the pelvis and into organs such as the lungs or liver, or if you have a recurring illness, an oncologist in Kolkata will work with you to manage your cancer-related symptoms. It will help you in preserving your quality of life.

The cancer doctor may recommend chemotherapy for women who have an advanced or recurring illness. Some women with recurrent cervical cancer prefer to have a complicated operation called pelvic exenteration. Surgeons use this method to remove malignant tissue while reconstructing the remaining organs to retain as much function as feasible. Brachytherapy may be performed concurrently by a cancer doctor in Kolkata.

Patients who have been diagnosed with cervical cancer or are at risk of developing it may discover the finest oncologist in India for early detection and treatment on Credihealth. Credihealth is India’s leading healthcare online portal, allowing you to book an appointment with a doctor and hospital in just a few clicks by filling out the necessary information. You may also use the website to receive an estimate of the cost of any cancer therapy or treatment in a particular hospital.