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poonam pandey faked own death to raise awareness for cervical cancer: what you need to know about causes, symptoms and screening

indian actor and model poonam pandey is alive, putting to rest fears that she had died of cervical cancer on feb. 2, 2024. the story of her death dominated the online airwaves and, in the wake of it all, started a bigger conversation for many women across the world.

by angelica bottaro

feb 2 2024

5 minute read

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indian model and bollywood actress poonam pandey performs as she marks international yoga day in mumbai on june 21, 2016. getty images

this is a correction and update to the original story that reported indian model-actor poonam pandey died of cervical cancer.

indian actor and model poonam pandey is alive, putting to rest fears that she had died of cervical cancer on feb. 2, 2024. pandey was believed to have died at the age of 32 after an instagram post on her account left fans and media stunned.

a day later, pandey herself returned to instagram to let the world know she was “here, alive.” the goal, she says, was to raise awareness for cervical cancer and to spark conversation around the “preventable” disease.

“we have the means to ensure no one loses their life to this disease,” the caption on the instagram post reads. “let’s empower one another with critical awareness and ensure every woman is informed about the steps to take.”

pandey became an online sensation in 2011 after promising to strip naked if india won the cricket world cup. of course, her goal was to create a stir to help get her noticed on a broader scale, guaranteeing her a chance to realize her dreams of being a bollywood star. since then, pandey has been in many popular and well-received films in india.

the story of her death dominated the online airwaves and, in the wake of it all, started a bigger conversation for many women across the world. what is cervical cancer, and how can young women protect themselves from its grasp?

what is cervical cancer?

cervical cancer starts in the cells in the lower, narrow end of the uterus, known as the cervix. before developing into cancerous cells, cervix cells morph and change, a process known as dysplasia. these abnormal cells, often dubbed pre-cancerous, continue growing and multiplying. if left unchecked, they turn into cancer.

there are two types of cervical cancer:

squamous cell carcinoma, which accounts for up to 90 per cent of all cervical cancers.
adenocarcinoma, which develops in glandular cells of the endocervix, the inner canal that connects the vagina and uterus

in some cases, a person can develop signs of both types, known as mixed carcinoma.

what are the symptoms of cervical cancer?

one of the most significant issues involving cervical cancer is the fact that, early on, there aren’t typically symptoms. cancer growth goes undetected because the body fails to alert you to anything being wrong. it isn’t until the cancer has spread that symptoms start to develop, and for many, that’s far too late.

when the symptoms of cervical cancer do occur, they differ by stage. in the early stages, symptoms can include:

vaginal bleeding after sex
vaginal bleeding following menopause
vaginal bleeding between periods
having periods that are heavier or longer than what is typical for you
watery vaginal discharge that contains blood or has a strong odour
pelvic pain
pain during sex

once the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, which can often be the case since the early stages are less than alarming in terms of physical changes, other symptoms can develop, including:

rectal bleeding when having a bowel movement
having difficulty or feeling pain when having a bowel movement
painful urination or blood in the urine
leg swelling
abdominal pain
tiredness or fatigue

to make matters worse, the symptoms that develop in both early and advanced-stage cervical cancer are non-specific in the sense that many other conditions can cause them to develop. these factors are what often lead to undetected cervical cancer in young women and, ultimately, worsened outcomes.

the connection between human papillomavirus (hpv) and cervical cancer

according to research , 99.7 per cent of cervical cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus (hpv). the tricky part about this is that hpv infections aren’t rare. in fact, nearly every sexually active person on the planet will contract hpv at some point during their lifetimes.

this may sound alarming, but not all hpv infections are the same. there are low-risk and high-risk. low-risk infections go away on their own after a battle with your immune system snuffs them out. these are short-term infections that typically last a year or two.

high-risk infections, like those that occur with specific types of hpv, such as hpv 16 and hpv 18, are much worse. they stick around in the body for years, causing cell changes in the cervix that eventually lead to cancer. the problem with these infections is that they, too, rarely develop symptoms.

in some cases, people may develop genital warts when they contract hpv, but that is the exception to the rule, and most people walk around without knowing they’re a carrier, making the spread of this deadly std that much more dangerous.

regular screening is typically when people become privy to hpv, only after the results show that abnormal cells have started to develop. while those cells can be removed, for many, it can be too late if people do not get screened often enough.

the vital screening for cervical cancer

screening for cervical cancer involves several methods to detect either hpv or the precancerous cells the infection can cause. one is an hpv test that looks for the virus itself. the other, a pap test or pap smear, is a regular screening people with cervixes typically do as part of their routine healthcare. it involves collecting cervical cells to check for abnormalities. and a third combines the two.

according to the canadian partnership against cancer , people should get a routine pap test every year until they receive negative results for at least three consecutive years. after that, the timeline changes to every two or three years. that all changes if precancerous cells are detected, though.

cancer care ontario reports that if abnormal cells are present, every six months is the sweet spot to ensure that cells can be removed promptly before becoming cancer. these timelines may seem like overkill, but when your life is on the line, missing a screening could mean the difference between a clean bill of health and a cervical cancer diagnosis.

protecting yourself through vaccination

another way to prevent hpv from turning into cancer, aside from practicing safe sex and getting regularly screened, is through vaccination. the vaccines, which can be given to people as young as 11 or 12, protect people from hpv infections by helping to create antibodies, specialized proteins that fight off infections.

these antibodies are specifically created to battle the hpv virus. when the vaccine and the immune system work together, people are much more likely to avoid a potentially cancer-causing long-term infection.

in canada, these vaccines are available at your doctor’s office, community health clinics, health departments, and school-based health centers. in some cases, such as school-based programs, they can be free of charge to those who need them—which is everyone due to the high volume of infections and the fact that it directly causes almost all cervical cancer cases.

the tragic loss of pandey and millions of others to cervical cancer may be dominating the news cycle today, but cervical cancer isn’t just a hot, trending topic. it claims the lives of 100’s of canadians each year. it can also be avoided entirely for most when healthcare systems provide vaccinations and access to proper screening routines.

angelica bottaro

angelica bottaro is the lead editor at healthing.ca, and has been content writing for over a decade, specializing in all things health. her goal as a health journalist is to bring awareness and information to people that they can use as an additional tool toward their own optimal health.

poonam pandey faked own death to raise awareness for cervical cancer: what you need to know about causes, symptoms and screening