Úna Kealy didn’t have any of the typical symptoms of a gynaecological cancer before she was diagnosed with stage one cervical cancer in 2016 at age 43.
“My one symptom was a very slight change in the colour and consistency of my vaginal discharge,” she says. “I almost didn’t pay attention to it and, like most people, I didn’t go to the doctor and have a conversation about it.
“In retrospect, I realise that I had internalised a conception that vaginal discharge was an unpleasant or shameful thing to talk about. I know now that I’m not unique in internalising this stigma because I now know that one in seven women delay or avoid GP visits due to their embarrassment discussing symptoms.”
Kealy underwent a radical hysterectomy, including the removal of her ovaries, successfully treating the cancer before it could spread any further. She has been cancer-free since and says cervical screening is vital when it comes to detecting cancer and treating it early.
The couple who bought a Wicklow golf course and turned it into a native woodland
Aer Lingus confirms flight cancellations and delays amid cyberattack
In Heather Humphreys country: ‘It was hard to find a Protestant not in the Orange Order’
A WhatsApp message about the secular ‘non-Communion’ makes my heart sink
More than 1,400 gynaecological cancers are diagnosed each year in the Republic, some 12 per cent of all female cancers detected in the State.
Saturday is World Gynaecological Oncology Day and experts, including from the Irish Network for Gynaecological Oncology (INGO), hope to raise awareness and highlight risk factors.
Fortunately Kealy, a mother of three, had been scheduled for a routine smear test, during which an abnormality was discovered. She was referred for further tests and an LLETZ procedure (a treatment used to remove abnormal cervical cells). She was then diagnosed with stage 1b cervical cancer.
She recalls being “terrified” that she might not live to see her children grow up.
“It came as a complete shock,” she says. “I was devastated, and [I] catastrophised, thinking I was dead and buried. I wasn’t brave or stoic, but I put on my best act for friends and family.”
Kealy’s father died some years before her diagnosis after a long battle with cancer and she believes supporting him through his illness and treatment “left me with a trauma that was reactivated” by her diagnosis.
“My husband and I decided not tell our kids about my cancer because they were too young to understand it – we didn’t really understand it ourselves. It was a really tough time.”
Within months of being diagnosed, she underwent surgery. The cancer had not spread beyond the cervix and no further treatment was needed.
“That was a huge relief,” she says. “I am eternally grateful to the medical team who looked after me as I’ve been cancer free ever since because of their expertise.
“If I hadn’t had surgery when I did, my treatment would have been much more intensive and I may not have survived – and what really strikes me is how easy it would have been to dismiss that one symptom.”
Prof Nóirín Russell, clinical director of CervicalCheck, the national cervical screening service, says that in nine out of 10 cases, cervical cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), commonly through sexual contact.
She says the HPV vaccine is an extremely effective way to prevent cancer from developing.
[ HPV vaccine catch-up programme to be rolled out in schools ‘without delay’Opens in new window ]
“And for those who didn’t have the opportunity to have vaccination as a teenager, the biggest risk factor for developing cervical cancer is not coming for cervical screening each time you are invited,” she says.
“In fact, the risk of developing cervical cancer is 10 times higher for women who have never had cervical screening. So screening really an important choice that we are working hard to make sure everyone who is eligible has the opportunity to make.”
Prof Russell also says that, along with the HPV, there are other factors that increase a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer, such as smoking, which makes it harder for a person’s immune system to clear the virus.
The most common symptoms for cervical cancer are persistent, unexplained vaginal bleeding or discharge, especially in between periods or after sex. It is less common for cervical cancer to present with pelvic or back pain, but it is also a symptom.
“We know that these are also symptoms of other gynaecological issues, including cancer, which is why it is so important that women do not rely on screening or (only) come for screening if they are experiencing symptoms,” says Prof Russell. “They should contact their GP without delay who will ensure they have appropriate follow-up if needed.”
Kealy says she is “living proof” that early intervention works and believes other women should be aware of their bodies and seek medical advice if any changes or concerns.
