Does HPV positive mean cervical cancer? What should we do to prevent cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is a common gynecological cancer, and there are some long-standing misunderstandings about cervical cancer. Faced with various cervical cancer detection methods and various confusing statements, you must open your eyes.

Myth 1: A positive HPV test or abnormal cervical smear indicates cervical cancer

This is not the case. You may need further examination, colposcopy or cancer cell biopsy. Although the papillomavirus (HpV) virus is the culprit of cervical cancer, in most cases the body will clear it and everyone will be infected with it in their lifetime. HpV may be 75%-90%, and 50%-75% of people worldwide now carry the HpV virus. HpV is divided into two categories: low-risk and high-risk, with a total of more than 100 classifications, and different classifications can cause different diseases. Only a few virus carriers will develop cervical cancer. Other infected people have no clinical manifestations because they are infected with different types of viruses or immunity. HpV is not as terrible as you think, let alone too nervous.

Myth 2: Cervical erosion will turn into cervical cancer

"Cervical erosion" is a problem that troubles many women. Now obstetrics and gynecology have abandoned the term "cervical erosion" and changed it to "cervical columnar epithelial ectopia (columnarectopy)", believing that it is not a pathological change, but a physiological change of the cervix. However, due to long-term habit, many doctors' ideas have not changed, and it is still called "cervical erosion". What's more, some medical institutions and commercial advertisements consider economic interests and make a fuss, making people treat it "cervical erosion" more panic. Gynecological examination found. "Cervical erosion", don't panic, follow the regular cervical disease screening.

Myth 3: Cervical cancer as a treatment for cervical erosion

Cervical cancer is misdiagnosed as cervical erosion, and simple physical therapy is given. It is mistakenly believed that cervical erosion is well treated and there will be no cervical cancer in the future. Cervical screening will no longer be performed from now on. This practice makes patients lose the best time to treat the disease, causing irreparable losses and huge harm. The main reason for this mistake is not following the standardized process of medical service screening, diagnosis and treatment, or being driven by the economic interests of units and individuals to treat patients irresponsibly.

Myth 4: Considering cervical erosion as an early lesion of cervical cancer

For a long time, clinicians have regarded chronic cervicitis and cervical erosion as synonyms, and actively carried out physical treatments such as laser, freezing, microwave, and even Leep knife to treat cervical diseases. These wrong treatments not only bring physical pain and economic losses to healthy women, but also bring quite serious side effects. If young and childless women are overtreated with Leep, it will lead to the double risk of "miscarriage or premature birth" in future pregnancies! "Cervical erosion" is a physiological phenomenon of cervical columnar epithelial ectopy, not a disease, and does not require treatment.

Myth 5: Cervical cancer is not preventable

In fact, cervical cancer is the only cancer with a clear cause, 100% preventable, and completely eradicated. Infection with the papillomavirus (HpV) is an absolutely necessary condition for the development of cervical cancer. Once the cause is identified, these precancerous lesions can be detected through regular HPV screening tests and cervical cytology smears. The HPV detection method combined with thin-layer liquid-based cytology has a sensitivity of up to 99%, and early prevention and early treatment of patients infected with HPV virus or cervical cell abnormalities are required. Usually, persistent infection with HPV leads to slow development of early cervical cancer lesions, and effective treatment can prevent cervical cancer.

How to prevent cervical cancer?

With the continuous improvement of medical care conditions and the widespread development of women's census, the incidence of cervical cancer has dropped significantly, especially in the late stage. The results of epidemiological studies on cervical cancer show that marital factors, cervical erosion, smegma, sexual behavior, sexually transmitted diseases and viral infections are risk factors for cervical cancer. For these risk factors, preventive measures can be taken:

1. Perform gynecological examinations and TCT examinations regularly. If abnormalities are found in cervical TCT, further treatment should be performed.

2. Pay attention to health care during menstruation and pregnancy and postpartum period, develop good hygiene habits, and reduce or prevent the occurrence of cervicitis.

3. Actively treat chronic cervicitis, especially patients with long-term leucorrhea or abnormal vaginal bleeding, should go to the hospital for examination immediately and take effective treatment measures

4. During childbirth or abortion, new methods should be used to avoid cervical lacerations. Once a laceration occurs, it should be sutured surgically.

5. For those who need to remove both ovaries due to certain gynecological diseases, the uterus should be removed at the same time. In general, it is not advisable to perform a subtotal hysterectomy to avoid residual cervical cancer.

6. Advocate for late marriage and fewer children