Cervical Cancer – Myth vs Fact
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Asian, Coloured and White women in South Africa, while it is the most common cancer among African women.
Cervical cancer starts in the cervix, located at the lower part of the uterus (womb). When detected early, or in the pre-cancer stage, treatment can be highly successful. Read more…
Listen to radio spots and view video on cervical cancer awareness…
Myth:
Cervical cancer is hereditary.
Fact:
Cervical cancer is not hereditary like breast cancer and ovarian cancer. It is caused by HPV infection. To save your child from the infection, make sure they get the HPV vaccine. If you are too old to get HPV vaccine, then make sure you get regular HPV and Pap tests.
Myth:
The cause of cervical cancer is unknown.
Fact:
Most of the cervical cancers are caused by the HPV virus which is a sexually transmitted infection.
Myth:
I don’t need to get screened because I don’t have any symptoms.
Fact:
A screening test is done to find out if there is any abnormal thing going on in the body in the people who are not having any symptoms. When there are symptoms, then the diagnostic test is done to find out the cause of the symptoms. An abnormal cervical cell does not cause any symptoms earlier, but they can be detected during the screening.
Myth:
Pap smear test can help in the diagnosis of other gynaecological cancers, example: ovarian cancer.
Fact:
The cervical Pap Smear Test does not test for other gynaecological cancers.
Myth:
A Pap test is enough for protecting women against cervical cancer.
Fact:
Just a Pap test is not enough to protect women against cervical cancer. For any women aged 30 and older, an HPV test along with a Pap smear test increases chances of obtaining an early diagnosis.
Myth:
Cervical cancer is fatal.
Fact:
Cervical cancer can be cured if detected and treated at an early stage.
Myth:
Cervical cancer is contagious.
Fact:
Cancer cannot be transmitted from one individual to another – it is not infectious. HPV infection, on the other hand, is contagious and is spread by skin-to-skin contact and sexual contact.
