Cervical Cancer Awareness Month 2024 - Theme and Importance

World Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is a global healthcare event observed in January every year. It mainly aims to raise awareness of cervical cancer globally and find ways to tackle and prevent it. Cervical cancer is a serious health issue that affects women globally including India and it is the cancer of the cervix, which is the opening from the vagina to the uterus.

Various international and local groups have joined together to raise awareness of cervical cancer through multiple campaigns and activities to emphasise the importance of early cervical cancer diagnosis, treatment, and preventive recommendations.

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month – Theme

The theme for this year’s Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is “Learn. Prevent. Screen.” The main aim of this theme is to make people aware of the seriousness of cervical cancer and how they can prevent it through the life-saving importance of regular screenings. Therefore, Cervical Cancer Awareness month is crucial to celebrate to raise public awareness about a women’s physical health and how it can be taken care of.

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month – What is the main need?

Cervical cancer is a condition where there is an abnormal growth of the cells lining the cervix (the part that connects the uterus and the vagina) or the lower portion of the uterus. The infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common cause (about 90%) of cervical cancer.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the global occurrence of this cancer in 2020 was estimated to be 6,04,000 new cases and 3,42,000 deaths, marking it as the fourth most prominent cancer in women. India accounts for nearly one-fourth of global cases of cervical cancer every year, with a mortality rate of nearly one-third.

In 2020, nearly 90% of new cases and deaths were reported in low-and middle-income nations. In high-income nations, awareness programs were organized to assist girls (usually 9-14 years) with the HPV vaccination apart from the regular screening for detecting and treating precancerous lesions in women.

These preventive methods are limited in low- and middle-income countries, and the cancer is not diagnosed until the symptoms have progressed. Therefore, there is a need for cervical cancer awareness (especially in low- and middle-income countries) to educate women about the risk factors, symptoms, and preventive actions.

Cervical Cancer Stages

Dr Ishu Gupta, Chief Oncologist at Cancel Cancer Hospital in Delhi, highlighted the 4 stages of cervical cancer to empower everyone with the knowledge that is crucial for early detection and informed decision-making. He listed the stages as –

Stage 0: At this initial stage, abnormal cells are developing. They are confined to the inner lining of the cervix and have not invaded the deeper layers of the cervix. Treatment options include surgery or localised procedures, offering a high chance of cure.
Stage I: Cancer is limited to the cervix, and treatments may involve surgery, radiation therapy, or a combination to remove or destroy the tumour.
Stage II: At this stage, cancer will start spreading beyond the cervix but will not reach the pelvic sidewall, treatment strategies may include surgery, radiation, or a combination to address the spreading malignancy.
Stage III: At this stage, cancer involves the lower vagina or the pelvic sidewall. A comprehensive approach, combining surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, is often employed to combat the disease.
Stage IV: The cancer reaches an advanced stage, spreading to adjacent organs like the bladder or rectum. Treatment options become more complex, requiring a combination of surgery, radiation and systemic therapies.

Cervical Cancer Prevention Methods

Cervical cancer awareness month is mainly on focusing attention on the cancer of the cervix which can be prevented by adopting the following precautionary measures: