Narratives of Cervical Cancer: Exploring Women's Lived Experiences through Film and Literature

• In Event: The Sense of Suffering in Literature, Poetry, and Performance

Abstract

The epidemiology of human papillomavirus (HPV) in women is well documented in the medical community. The majority of cervical cancers have been found to be caused by HPV, with two strains - HPV16 and HPV18 - accounting for 70% of all cases. The routes of transmission of the virus that can cause cervical cancer include direct (sexual) and indirect (oral sex, public toilets) contact. Due to the nature of the disease's transmission, cultural narratives (literature, film, art) have sporadically addressed the experiences of women living with cervical cancer. Through a philosophical analysis of narratives in film and literature (such as Agnes Varda's film Cléo from 5 to 7 and Raluca Nagy's novel Theo from 16 to 18), my work aims to inform medical practitioners about patients' lived experiences and situated knowledge, focusing on the profound psychological and physical changes that accompany the disease. This includes issues such as altered bodily experiences, loss of hope, feelings of guilt, altered perceptions of time, social isolation, physical pain, social stigma, and altered perceptions of self, and others that accompany a diagnosis of cervical cancer.

Author

• Laura Pricop, Alexandru Ioan Cuza U of Iași (Romania)