Martin Wanendeya explains how dental practices can help support Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.
There are approximately 3,200 new cervical cancer cases every year in the UK, with incidence rates for the disease the highest in females aged 30 to 34. When diagnosed at its earliest stage, more than nine in 10 people with cervical cancer will survive their disease for a year or more, compared with one in two people when the disease is diagnosed at its latest stage. If a diagnosis of cervical cancer is made, dental teams play a vital role in the overall care of affected patients, given that this disease and its associated therapies can negatively impact oral health.
Cervical cancer occurs in the cells of the cervix – the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. It develops when the DNA of healthy cells in the cervix mutate. Healthy cells grow, multiply and die within a set time, but abnormal cells grow, multiply out of control and do not die. If left untreated, these accumulating abnormal cells then form a mass, otherwise known as a tumour. Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, which develop in the thin, flat cells lining the outer part of the cervix that projects into the vagina.
Cervical cancer is more common in younger women, with more than half of cases diagnosed each year in women under the age of 45 in the UK. Although there is no single means to completely prevent cervical cancer, there are steps people can take to reduce their risk, such as practising safer sex and giving up smoking. Receiving a vaccination to protect against HPV infection can also help in preventing cervical cancer.
Detection of the disease at its earliest stage is vital to successfully treat it, however it often has no symptoms to begin with. That is why individuals should attend regular cervical screenings, previously known as smear tests. With the Covid-19 pandemic putting cancer services on hold for much of last year, there is concern that some patients could have potentially gone undiagnosed for the disease and their treatment delayed. Now that screening programmes have restarted, it is more important than ever that people are encouraged to screen for cancer of the cervix.
If a patient is diagnosed with cervical cancer, effective collaboration between health and dental professionals is essential in order to provide the best quality of care. The dental team will be invaluable in terms of helping cervical cancer patients maintain their oral health at a time when they will be under considerable stress from the effects of both the disease itself and the treatments used to combat it. Particularly in more advanced cases, patients may be undergoing a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to treat the disease, which can increase their susceptibility to oral infections and other complications such as mucositis and xerostomia. For additional support in the management of cancer patients, you can always refer to a trusted partner, such as Ten Dental+Facial, who will be able to help patients with complex oral health needs.
With Cervical Cancer Prevention Week taking place in January 2021, now is the ideal opportunity for the profession to help raise awareness of the disease and educate the wider community on the importance of attending regular cervical screenings. It is also crucial that dental teams encourage patients to seek medical advice if they suspect they may have cervical cancer, with access to appropriate resources and information provided. Any steps dental professionals can take to support cervical cancer patients can make all the difference to helping many more people beat the disease.
References available on request.