Each year, hundreds of women in Moldova are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Three women die every week from this disease. Did you know that cervical cancer can be prevented? Here's what you need to know about cervical cancer to be safe yourself and take care of the close ones.

1. Cervical cancer affects the cervix

The cervix is the part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Cancer can grow in a woman’s cervix the same way that it can grow in other parts of the body.

2. Cervical cancer is caused by human papillomavirus

Cervical cancer can be caused by any one of about 15 ‘high-risk’ types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a very common sexually transmitted virus and most adults will have had an HPV infection at some time. However, almost 90 per cent of HPV infections are cleared naturally by the immune system and it is only persistent infections that increase the risk of cervical cancer.

HPV can cause the cells of your cervix to become abnormal and slowly develop into a cervical cancer. At first, these abnormal changes are mild and many just disappear on their own without treatment.

Sometimes, the abnormal cells do not disappear and they can then grow into cervical cancer if they are not found and removed. Usually, this process may happen over a period of 10 to 15 years

3. Cervical cancer can be prevented

Abnormal cervical cells are very easy to remove and prevent cervical cancer developing. However, these abnormal cells have no obvious signs or symptoms. Therefore, the only way they can be found is by cervical screening. Therefore, almost all cases of cervical cancer can be prevented by effective cervical screening and HPV vaccination programmes.

4. Cervical cancer develops slowly and has no primary symptoms

Neither HPV infection nor the abnormal cervical cells produce any obvious symptoms: no pain, no bleeding, nothing that would indicate something is wrong. Cervical screening is the only way to find these early stages at a time when they can be easily treated with a high degree of success.

5. Women shall perform a cervical screening once in every three years

Because it is a form of cancer whose symptoms (vaginal bleeding after intercourse, unusual vaginal discharge, pain in the genital area) manifest themselves at a later stage, but also because it develops slowly over a period of 10 to 15 years, all women between the age of 25 and 61 should perform a cervical screening once in every three years.

6. Cervical screening is not painful and is free of charge in Moldova

The cervical screening in Moldova is performed by every family doctor or medical assistant and is free of charge whether you have or not a medical insurance. The cervical screening will show whether there is a risk of developing cervical cancer and the results will be known very quickly.

7. A positive screening result does not mean that you have cancer

Cervical cancer is the only type to be detected in a pre-cancerous phase, before becoming invasive cancer and putting your life in danger. It is important to see your family doctor in order to perform a cervical screening, and in case if you receive an abnormal result, your family doctor will readdress you to the colposcopy department for treatment and further examinations. If the further control test will turn out satisfactory, you are out of any risk of developing cancer.

If you want to find more information, please visit: http://www.ecca.info/mo/