Know the truth: Common myths about cervical cancer explained
According to Globocon 2020, cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer amongst women globally. India alone accounts for one-quarter of the global burden, with an estimated 1,23,907 new cases and 77,348 deaths annually.India Today spoke with Dr Pratima Raj, Associate Consultant – Gynaecological Oncology, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road.to gain insights on the most common misconceptions surrounding cervical cancer and why awareness is key to early detection and prevention.advertisementDespite considerable awareness campaigns and media attention on cervical cancer and HPV vaccination, the topic remains riddled with misinformation. Myths persist around screening, vaccines, and HPV itself, often preventing timely intervention. With the right information, however, cervical cancer is largely preventable and treatable.MYTH: HPV ONLY AFFECTS PROMISCUOUS WOMEN
Fact: HPV can affect any sexually active woman. Even one sexual partner is enough to contract HPV. Studies reveal that over 80 percent of women will acquire HPV by age 50.MYTH: HAVING HPV MEANS YOU'LL GET CERVICAL CANCERFact: While HPV is common, most infections resolve on their own. Only persistent high-risk strains can lead to cancerous changes. Regular screening helps detect these early.MYTH: HPV INFECTIONS HAVE SYMPTOMSFact: Most HPV infections are asymptomatic. High-risk strains often go unnoticed unless caught through Pap smears or HPV testing.Possible symptoms of cervical cancer (if present) include abnormal discharge, irregular or heavy bleeding, post-coital bleeding, and pelvic or abdominal pain.MYTH: SCREENING IS THE ONLY PREVENTIVE MEASUREadvertisementFact: In addition to Pap tests and HPV testing, lifestyle factors play a role. Avoiding smoking, delaying sexual activity, and limiting partners can reduce risk. Other risk factors include chlamydia or HIV infections and weakened immunity.MYTH: VACCINATED WOMEN DON'T NEED PAP TESTSFact: The HPV vaccine doesn't protect against all cancer-causing strains. Even vaccinated women should continue regular Pap and HPV screenings.MYTH: PAP TESTS ARE NEEDED ANNUALLYFact: Current guidelines recommend:Ages 21–29: Pap test every 3 yearsAges 30–65: Pap + HPV co-test every 5 years65 and older: screening may stop if past tests were normalMYTH: HPV CLEARS ON ITS OWNFact: While some infections resolve naturally, others persist and can lead to genital warts or cancer.Close monitoring is essential.MYTH: CERVICAL CANCER ENDS FERTILITYFact: Fertility-preserving treatments are now available for early-stage cases.A hysterectomy is not always necessary.MYTH: CERVICAL CANCER IS HEREDITARYFact: Cervical cancer is caused by HPV, not inherited like breast or ovarian cancers.Vaccination and screening remain the best defenses.MYTH: ONLY WOMEN WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS ARE AT RISKFact: Even one sexual encounter can expose someone to HPV.It is a sexually transmitted infection, not a moral judgment.MYTH: LONG GAPS IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY ELIMINATE RISKadvertisementFact: Cervical cancer can develop long after infection, regardless of recent sexual activity.MYTH: PAP TESTS DETECT OVARIAN OR UTERINE CANCERFact: Cervical screening only checks the cervix.It does not detect cancers of the uterus, ovaries, or fallopian tubes.MYTH: HPV VACCINES ARE ONLY FOR TEENAGERSFact: The vaccine is most effective before sexual activity, but still beneficial for those already sexually active.MYTH: ONLY WOMEN SHOULD WORRY ABOUT HPVFact: All genders are vulnerable to HPV.Vaccination is recommended for ages 9–65.MYTH: CONDOMS FULLY PREVENT HPVFact: Condoms reduce but don't eliminate the risk due to skin-to-skin transmission.MYTH: CERVICAL CANCER IS ALWAYS FATALFact: When detected early, treatment is highly effective, and survival rates are excellent.MYTH: OLDER WOMEN ARE NOT AT RISK OF HPVFact: HPV can affect anyone, regardless of age.MYTH: THERE'S NO CURE FOR CERVICAL CANCERSurgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy can be curative, especially in early stages. Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers that is largely preventable and highly treatable when detected early.Through vaccination, regular screening, and healthy lifestyle choices, women (and all who are at risk) can dramatically reduce their chances of developing this disease. Armed with facts rather than fears, every woman can take charge of her reproductive health and help ensure that cervical cancer becomes a chapter of the past, not the future.Trending Reel
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India Today
8 hours ago
- India Today
Know the truth: Common myths about cervical cancer explained
According to Globocon 2020, cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer amongst women globally. India alone accounts for one-quarter of the global burden, with an estimated 1,23,907 new cases and 77,348 deaths Today spoke with Dr Pratima Raj, Associate Consultant – Gynaecological Oncology, Manipal Hospital Old Airport gain insights on the most common misconceptions surrounding cervical cancer and why awareness is key to early detection and considerable awareness campaigns and media attention on cervical cancer and HPV vaccination, the topic remains riddled with misinformation. Myths persist around screening, vaccines, and HPV itself, often preventing timely intervention. With the right information, however, cervical cancer is largely preventable and HPV ONLY AFFECTS PROMISCUOUS WOMEN Fact: HPV can affect any sexually active woman. Even one sexual partner is enough to contract HPV. Studies reveal that over 80 percent of women will acquire HPV by age HAVING HPV MEANS YOU'LL GET CERVICAL CANCERFact: While HPV is common, most infections resolve on their own. Only persistent high-risk strains can lead to cancerous changes. Regular screening helps detect these HPV INFECTIONS HAVE SYMPTOMSFact: Most HPV infections are asymptomatic. High-risk strains often go unnoticed unless caught through Pap smears or HPV symptoms of cervical cancer (if present) include abnormal discharge, irregular or heavy bleeding, post-coital bleeding, and pelvic or abdominal SCREENING IS THE ONLY PREVENTIVE MEASUREadvertisementFact: In addition to Pap tests and HPV testing, lifestyle factors play a role. Avoiding smoking, delaying sexual activity, and limiting partners can reduce risk. Other risk factors include chlamydia or HIV infections and weakened VACCINATED WOMEN DON'T NEED PAP TESTSFact: The HPV vaccine doesn't protect against all cancer-causing strains. Even vaccinated women should continue regular Pap and HPV PAP TESTS ARE NEEDED ANNUALLYFact: Current guidelines recommend:Ages 21–29: Pap test every 3 yearsAges 30–65: Pap + HPV co-test every 5 years65 and older: screening may stop if past tests were normalMYTH: HPV CLEARS ON ITS OWNFact: While some infections resolve naturally, others persist and can lead to genital warts or monitoring is CERVICAL CANCER ENDS FERTILITYFact: Fertility-preserving treatments are now available for early-stage cases.A hysterectomy is not always CERVICAL CANCER IS HEREDITARYFact: Cervical cancer is caused by HPV, not inherited like breast or ovarian and screening remain the best ONLY WOMEN WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS ARE AT RISKFact: Even one sexual encounter can expose someone to is a sexually transmitted infection, not a moral LONG GAPS IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY ELIMINATE RISKadvertisementFact: Cervical cancer can develop long after infection, regardless of recent sexual PAP TESTS DETECT OVARIAN OR UTERINE CANCERFact: Cervical screening only checks the does not detect cancers of the uterus, ovaries, or fallopian HPV VACCINES ARE ONLY FOR TEENAGERSFact: The vaccine is most effective before sexual activity, but still beneficial for those already sexually ONLY WOMEN SHOULD WORRY ABOUT HPVFact: All genders are vulnerable to is recommended for ages 9– CONDOMS FULLY PREVENT HPVFact: Condoms reduce but don't eliminate the risk due to skin-to-skin CERVICAL CANCER IS ALWAYS FATALFact: When detected early, treatment is highly effective, and survival rates are OLDER WOMEN ARE NOT AT RISK OF HPVFact: HPV can affect anyone, regardless of THERE'S NO CURE FOR CERVICAL CANCERSurgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy can be curative, especially in early stages. Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers that is largely preventable and highly treatable when detected vaccination, regular screening, and healthy lifestyle choices, women (and all who are at risk) can dramatically reduce their chances of developing this disease. Armed with facts rather than fears, every woman can take charge of her reproductive health and help ensure that cervical cancer becomes a chapter of the past, not the Reel
News18
21 hours ago
- News18
Can This Covid Vaccine Technology Also 'Kick And Kill' HIV?
Last Updated: A team of Australian scientists has developed a novel method to reveal hidden HIV in white blood cells Scientists at Australia's Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne have developed a groundbreaking method to 'wake up" hidden HIV within the human body, a crucial step that could enable their complete removal. And they have used mRNA technology, the same kind used in Pfizer and Moderna's Covid-19 vaccines. Nearly 40 million people are living with HIV worldwide. One of the main challenges in curing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) lies in its ability to establish latent reservoirs. These are small numbers of infected cells, primarily resting CD4+ T cells, where the virus integrates its genome but remains dormant and invisible to both the immune system and antiretroviral therapies (ART). While ART can suppress the virus to undetectable levels, it cannot eliminate these hidden reservoirs. If treatment stops, the virus can re-emerge and replicate, necessitating lifelong medication for people living with HIV. The Australian team discovered a novel way to deliver 'special instructions" to these hidden, latently infected cells. In a study published in Nature Communications, the researchers demonstrated how they packaged mRNA inside novel, microscopic fat-like bubbles called lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), specifically a new design termed 'LNP X". The key breakthrough was engineering these LNPs to successfully transport the mRNA into the previously hard-to-reach resting CD4+ T cells. Once delivered, the mRNA instructs these cells to 'give up" the dormant virus, forcing it out of hiding and making it visible. This strategy aligns with the long-sought 'kick and kill" approach to HIV cure, where latency-reversing agents 'shock" the virus out of its dormant state, allowing the body's immune system or other therapies to 'kill" the newly exposed infected cells. Dr Paula Cevaal, a research fellow at the Doherty Institute and co-first author, described the initial results as astonishing, requiring repeated experiments to confirm their accuracy. 'We were overwhelmed by how big the difference was," she noted, emphasising the unprecedented success in revealing the hidden virus. While the research is currently laboratory-based and conducted on cells donated by HIV patients, this innovative method represents a significant step forward. The next crucial phase involves preclinical testing in animal models, followed by human trials to assess safety and efficacy. First Published: June 07, 2025, 04:36 IST
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Woman over 50 drops 110 pounds post-menopause and swears by one simple tip every midlife woman should know
Janet Allen is now 61 years old and lost 110 pounds after menopause. She used to weigh nearly 300 pounds at age 55 and felt completely hopeless. Janet could barely walk, climb stairs, get off the couch, or even stand up from the floor. She believed losing weight in your 50s and 60s was impossible because that's what she heard all her life. A conversation with her nurse practitioner in 2020 changed everything, according to the report by TODAY. Allen's past and struggles Janet had struggled with weight since childhood, ever since a store clerk called her 'chubby' when she was 8. She managed to lose some weight in her 20s but gained it all back in her 30s due to marriage, raising a child, a stressful sales job, and lots of travel. When she was at her heaviest, she had trouble sleeping, high blood pressure, and pain in her knees and feet. She was also scared about retirement because her husband is super active; he runs, hikes, bikes, golfs, and she didn't want to hold him back, as per the report by TODAY. In 2020, Janet told her nurse she was eating healthy and walking, but still not losing weight. The nurse asked her, 'How and why do you eat?' That simple question made Janet understand she ate when she felt sad, worried, or stressed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bank Owned Properties For Sale In Baghdad (Prices May Surprise You) Foreclosed Homes | Search ads Search Now Undo The nurse then gave her a medicine called Contrave that helps stop food cravings and overeating. Within a month, she noticed a big change, she was finally able to pause before reacting to stress with food. She began asking herself, 'Why am I eating right now? What else can I do instead of going to the fridge?' Allen's fitness journey Janet began by walking a short distance, just one block, with her daughter. Slowly, they built it up to 1.5-hour walks, and her daughter lost 80 pounds too. These walks made their relationship stronger and helped them support each other. As she got fitter, Janet joined Orangetheory classes, lifted weights, did yoga, and can now run a 9-minute mile, according to the report by TODAY. Live Events Walking helped her think clearly and understand her feelings. She saw that losing weight is not just about food or exercise, but also about feeling better inside. When things got hard, she talked to a therapist and worked on staying positive. She says it's not about looking good, but about feeling strong and in charge of her life. Janet has changed the way she talks to herself and others , she's more calm, clear, and confident now. She feels more calm inside and now talks to people in a better, clearer way. She cut down entirely on her caffeine and alcohol intake, along with saying no to any kind of artificial sweetners. Her food is now flush with greens and fruits and is rich in protein. She filled her life with other healthy distractions like, short walks, playing with her dog, doing laundry, talking to her daughter, and needlepoint hobby, as mentioned in the report by TODAY. Results at 61 No more sleep apnea. Lower blood pressure. No joint pain. She's traveling, walking on beaches, golfing, and enjoying life. Janet says, 'I used to mourn the life I had lost. Now, I have it back.' Losing weight after menopause is possible, but you have to heal yourself emotionally too. Talk honestly with your doctor, even if it feels awkward. One question or conversation could change your life. The biggest thing she learned, 'It's not just about losing weight , it's about healing yourself,' as stated in the report by TODAY. FAQs Q1. Can women lose weight after menopause? Yes, women can lose weight after menopause by eating better, moving more, and getting help when needed. Q2. What helped Janet Allen lose weight? She walked daily, ate healthy, took medicine for cravings, and worked on her emotions.
