Queries: Who is Poonam Pandey?
Poonam Pandey Death?
What is Cervical Cancer?
Government & Budget 2024 on Cervical Cancer?
State Government Initiatives?
Poonam Pandey Death?
Poonam Pandey’s death: Poonam Pandey was suffering from cervical cancer, her team said. “Every living form that ever came into contact with her was met with pure love and kindness.”
Who is Poonam Pandey?
Model actress Poonam Pandey has passed away, her manager confirmed on Instagram. The actress, 32, was suffering from cervical cancer. “This morning is a tough one for us. I am deeply saddened to inform you that we have lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer. Every living being that ever came into contact with her was met with pure love and kindness. In this time of grief, we would request privacy while we remember her fondly for all that we shared,” an Instagram post from her account stated.
The news left her fans and many other social media users stunned. However, many were wondering if this was a prank or if the account was hacked.
“She got diagnosed with cancer sometime back, and it was in the later stage. She was in UP, her hometown, and the funeral will mostly happen there. We are yet to get more details.”
Pandey was a participant in ‘Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 4’, and ‘Lock Upp’. She made her debut in the Bollywood film ‘Nasha’.
What is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer begins in the cells of the cervix.
What is cervical cancer?
- Cervical cancer is a growth of cells that starts in the cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina.
- Various strains of the human papillomavirus, also called HPV, play a role in causing most cervical cancers. HPV is a common infection that’s passed through sexual contact. When exposed to HPV, the body’s immune system typically prevents the virus from causing harm. In a small percentage of people, however, the virus survives for years. This contributes to the process that causes some cervical cells to become cancer cells.
- You can reduce your risk of developing cervical cancer by having screening tests and receiving a vaccine that protects against HPV infection.
- When cervical cancer happens, it’s often first treated with surgery to remove the cancer. Other treatments may include medicines to kill the cancer cells. Options might include chemotherapy and targeted therapy medicines. Radiation therapy with powerful energy beams may also be used. Sometimes treatment combines radiation with low-dose chemotherapy.
Symptoms
- When it starts, cervical cancer might not cause symptoms. As it grows, cervical cancer might cause signs and symptoms, such as:
- Vaginal bleeding occurs after intercourse, between periods, or after menopause.
- Menstrual bleeding is heavier and lasts longer than usual.
- Watery, bloody vaginal discharge that may be heavy and have a foul odour.
- Pelvic pain or pain during intercourse.
Female reproductive system: The ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina (vaginal canal) make up the female reproductive system.
Causes
Cervical cancer begins when healthy cells in the cervix develop changes in their DNA. A cell’s DNA contains the instructions that tell it what to do. The changes tell the cells to multiply quickly. The cells continue to live when healthy cells die as part of their natural life cycle. This causes too many cells. The cells might form a mass called a tumor. The cells can invade and destroy healthy body tissue. In time, the cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body.
Most cervical cancers are caused by HPV. HPV is a common virus that’s passed through sexual contact. For most people, the virus never causes problems. It usually goes away on its own. For some, though, the virus can cause changes in the cells that may lead to cancer.
Types of cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is divided into types based on the type of cell in which the cancer begins. The main types of cervical cancer are:
Squamous cell carcinoma
This type of cervical cancer begins in thin, flat cells, called squamous cells. The squamous cells line the outer part of the cervix. Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.
Adenocarcinoma:
This type of cervical cancer begins in the column-shaped gland cells that line the cervical canal.
Sometimes, both types of cells are involved in cervical cancer. Very rarely, cancer occurs in other cells in the cervix.
Risk factors
Risk factors for cervical cancer include:
- Smoking tobacco: Smoking increases the risk of cervical cancer. When HPV infections happen in people who smoke, the infections tend to last longer and are less likely to go away. HPV causes most cervical cancers.
- Increasing number of sexual partners: The greater your number of sexual partners and the greater your partner’s number of sexual partners, the greater your chance of getting HPV.
- Early sexual activity: Having sex at an early age increases your risk of HPV.
- Other sexually transmitted infections: Having other sexually transmitted infections, also called STIs, increases the risk of HPV, which can lead to cervical cancer. Other STIs that increase the risk include herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV/AIDS.
- A weakened immune system: You may be more likely to develop cervical cancer if your immune system is weakened by another health condition and you have HPV.
- Exposure to miscarriage prevention medicine: If your parent took a medicine called diethylstilbestrol, also known as DES, while pregnant, your risk of cervical cancer might be increased. This medicine was used in the 1950s to prevent miscarriage. It’s linked to a type of cervical cancer called clear-cell adenocarcinoma.
Prevention
To reduce your risk of cervical cancer:
- Ask your doctor about the HPV vaccine. Receiving a vaccination to prevent HPV infection may reduce your risk of cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers. Ask your healthcare team if an HPV vaccine is right for you.
- Have routine Pap tests: Pap tests can detect precancerous conditions of the cervix. These conditions can be monitored or treated to prevent cervical cancer. Most medical organizations suggest beginning routine Pap tests at age 21 and repeating them every few years.
- Practice safe sex: Reduce your risk of cervical cancer by taking measures to prevent sexually transmitted infections. This may include using a condom every time you have sex and limiting the number of sexual partners you have.
- Don’t smoke: If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, talk to a healthcare professional about ways to help you quit.
Budget 2024: Initiatives by the Government.
Govt. to promote HPV vaccination for girls aged 9–14 to prevent cervical cancer, announces FM Sitharaman
Sitharaman stated, “Our government will encourage vaccination for girls aged 9 to 14 years as a preventive measure against cervical cancer” during her budget speech.
Highlights:
- Sitharaman advocated HPV vaccination for girls aged 9–14 during her budget speech.
- Cervical cancer ranks second among women’s cancers in India, with over 123,000 new cases and 77,000 deaths reported in 2020.
- Low awareness and access contribute to high HPV prevalence, leading to late diagnoses and poor outcomes.
Two years after the National Technical Advisory Group for Immunization (NTAGI) recommended the inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) to prevent cervical cancer in women, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her interim budget speech for 2024–25, indicated that the government would actively “promote” vaccination to combat this deadly disease.
Despite this commitment, the finance minister did not provide specific details regarding the government’s plan, leaving uncertainties about its inclusion in the national immunization program. Sitharaman stated, “Our government will encourage vaccination for girls aged 9 to 14 years as a preventive measure against cervical cancer” during her budget speech.
In India, cervical cancer ranks as the second most common cancer among women, contributing significantly to the global burden of cervical cancer, as per government reports. The primary cause of cervical cancer is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The prevalence of HPV remains high due to low awareness and limited access to vaccination programs, despite the central government’s efforts to implement cancer screening programs nationwide.
According to GLOBOCAN 2020, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) estimated 123,907 new cervical cancer cases and 77,348 deaths in India. Regular screening with Pap smears or HPV tests can detect precancerous lesions, enabling early intervention and cancer prevention. However, screening rates in India, particularly in rural areas, are alarmingly low, leading to late-stage diagnoses and inadequate access to timely treatment, resulting in avoidable loss of life and unfulfilled potential.
Dr. Krithiga Shridhar, an epidemiologist at the Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC), emphasized the global commitment to eliminate cervical cancer through vaccination, screening, early diagnosis, and treatment. Cervical cancer stands as the leading cancer among women in rural regions and the second most common female cancer in India, comprising nearly a fifth of all cancers in women, according to National Cancer Registry data.
Highlighting the urgency, Shridhar stressed the importance of population-level screening and HPV vaccination programs. She called for identifying critical research and implementation gaps, assessing screening preparedness, and fostering collaborations to enhance cervical cancer research capacity for improved prevention and treatment strategies in India.
The NTAGI had recommended the introduction of the HPV vaccine into the UIP on June 28, 2022, proposing a one-time catch-up program for adolescent girls aged 9–14 years, followed by routine introduction at nine years of age.
Several states have already taken proactive steps in this direction
• Delhi initiated a program for girls aged 9–14 in 2016, achieving high coverage rates.
• Punjab, Sikkim, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra have announced free HPV vaccination for schoolgirls in specific districts as part of pilot programs.
• Mizoram has included free HPV vaccination in its routine immunization program for girls aged 10–12 years.
• Uttar Pradesh has also announced free HPV vaccination for schoolgirls in select districts as part of a pilot program.
Conclusion:
Stay healthy, and if you face any problems or see symptoms, contact your doctor without delay.