Cervical cancer: Facts, myths, and how you can prevent it

A Pap smear involves inserting a speculum into the vagina to open it up so that a small brush can pass through to collect cells from the cervix. — Filepic

According to the 2019 Human Papillomavirus and Related Diseases Report on Malaysia by the ICO/IARC Information Centre on HPV and Cancer, cervical cancer ranks as the third leading cause of female cancer and the second most common female cancer in women aged 15 to 44 years in the country.

Approximately 1,682 new cervical cancer cases are diagnosed annually in Malaysia.