Poonam Pandey Dies Due To Cervical Cancer - Symptoms, Precautions, Treatment Of This Fatal Disease

Poonam Pandey reportedly died at the age of 32 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The model actress was suffering from cervical cancer which eventually led to the loss of her life. Cancer that originates in the cervix is called cervical cancer. The cervix is a hollow cylinder that joins the vagina and the bottom portion of a woman's uterus. Cells on the cervix's surface are where the majority of cervical cancers start.

Symptoms of cervical cancer

As per Healthline, Cervical cancer may not show any symptoms at first but it exhibits the following symptoms and indicators as it progresses:

• Bleeding from the vagina after having sex, in between periods, or following menopause.
• Menstrual bleeding that is heavier and lasts longer than usual.
• Vaginal discharge that is bloody, watery, smells bad, and maybe heavy.
• Pain in the pelvis or during sexual activity.

Causes of cervical cancer

The development of DNA alterations in healthy cervix cells is the first step toward cervical cancer. The instructions that tell a cell what to do are encoded in its DNA. The alterations instruct the cells to proliferate rapidly. When healthy cells would naturally die as a part of their life cycle, the cells survive. There are too many cells as a result. The cells may aggregate into a mass known as a tumour. Healthy bodily tissue can be invaded by the cells and destroyed. The cells may eventually separate and disperse to different areas of the body.

HPV is the primary cause of most cervical cancers. A common virus that is spread through intercourse is HPV. Most people never have any issues with the virus. Usually, it disappears on its own. However, for some, the virus can cause changes in the cells that may lead to cancer.

Treatment for cervical cancer

If detected early, cervical cancer is a highly treatable condition. The four primary therapies are:

• surgery
• radiation treatment
• chemotherapy
• focused treatment

To increase their efficacy, these treatments are occasionally combined.

How does India Budget 2024 address the issue of cervical cancer?  

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman proposed vaccination to prevent Cervical Cancer and the amalgamation of various schemes for maternal and child care, as she presented the Interim Budget 2024-25 in Parliament today.

The vaccination programme will be for girls in the age group of 9 to 14 years for the prevention of cervical cancer. The Government will encourage this vaccination among the eligible categories, she added. 

To bring synergy in various programmes for maternal and child care, the Union Finance Minister proposed that one comprehensive programme be created. She further added that Anganwadi Centres to be upgraded under ‘Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0’ will be expedited. She expressed that this will improve nutrition delivery, early childhood care and development.