TIRUCHY: Fifty-nine women have been diagnosed with cervical cancer in Tiruchy district after 1.63 lakh women underwent screening under the organised cancer screening programme during the past year, according to Health Department data available till the end of August.
Of the 1.63 lakh women screened from April 2025 to August 2026, a total of 5,530 were suspected of having abnormalities and referred for further evaluation. Of them, 3,084 reached referral facilities, where 1,910 were found with symptoms through colposcopy. As many as 1,861 women aged between 40-60 subsequently underwent biopsy, leading to the confirmation of 59 cervical cancer cases.
Officials said screening and follow-up were being intensified to ensure that women with suspected abnormalities completed the referral and diagnostic process and received treatment at the earliest.
Separately, figures from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) for September showed that 478 women underwent cervical cancer screening during the month. Of them, 69 tested positive through VIA (Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid) and VILI (Visual Inspection with Lugol's Iodine), while 40 underwent biopsy. Twenty new cervical cancer cases were detected at the hospital in September, with 14 women referred to Thanjavur for radiotherapy, hospital sources said.
Cervical cancer develops in the cells of the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Persistent infection with high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted infection, is the major cause of the disease.
Oncologist KN Sivaraman of Dr G Viswanathan Specialty Hospital Private Limited in Tiruchy said increased awareness about cervical cancer, menstrual hygiene and preventive measures had contributed to a decline in the proportion of cervical cancer among the cases seen at his hospital.
"Twenty years ago, cervical cancer accounted for nearly 95% of the cancer cases we saw, whereas it is now around 20%," he said. However, he noted that cases continued to be detected, particularly among women in the 40-50 age group. He said persistent infection with HPV could remain unnoticed for years before leading to changes in cervical cells, making regular screening important even in the absence of symptoms.
Dr Sivaraman also stressed the importance of HPV vaccination as a preventive measure. He urged parents to have girls aged nine to 11 years vaccinated, noting that the vaccine is available free of cost through government facilities. Early vaccination, along with regular screening later in life, can help reduce the risk of cervical cancer, he said.