Radiologist Identifies One Of The Things That Places A Woman At High Risk Of Cervical Cancer & Ways To Increase Survival Rate
A Consultant Radiologist at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has revealed that women who become sexually active at very young age stand a high risk of experiencing cervical cancer.
According to the expert, Prof. Ifeoma Okoye, cancer has become the second type associated with women in terms of prevalence in Nigeria and first in Africa.
According to the World Health Organisation, every minute globally, a woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer. It also noted that 300,000 women, mostly from poor countries, die of the most curable type of cancer.
“Nine out of 10 women who die from cervical cancer are from poor countries. Deaths from the disease will rise by almost 50 percent by 2040.
“New diagnoses can be reduced by ensuring that all nine to 14-year-old girls globally are vaccinated against HPV,”
says WHO.
The WHO further noted that women in developing countries have only limited access to preventative measures, and that cervical cancer is often not identified until it has reached an advanced stage.
The United State National Library of Medicine also noted that cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide and a major cause of cancer-related mortality.
It stated that approximately 570,000 new cases and 311,365 deaths were estimated in 2018, and that the figure was more than that of any other cancer.
“Cervical cancer highlights the great disparities in incidence and mortality that exist between developed and developing countries.
“Over 85 per cent of new cases and 80 per cent of mortality from cervical cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries,”
it stated.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise, the specialist said women who have been diagnosed with cervical cancer usually have about five years to live, but that morbidity can be reduced through vaccination and early diagnosis through Pap smear screening (a procedure to test for cervical cancer in women).
“When detected at an early stage, the five-year survival rate for women with invasive cervical cancer is 92 per cent.
“About 44 per cent of women with cervical cancer are diagnosed at an early stage. If cervical cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or organs or the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 56 per cent,”
she said.
The Director, UNN Centre for Clinical Trials, revealed that the major cause of the disease is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and underscored the importance of getting girls vaccinated from the age of nine, as a form of protection.
“Reports have shown that young people now have early sexual exposure. The main cause of cervical cancer is the HPV and almost 100 per cent of cervical cancer cases are caused by persistent infection with cancer causing HPV infections.
“It is easily transmitted by skin-to-skin genital contact, penetrative intercourse is not necessary to become infected. Condoms are not effective to reduce the risk,”
she warned.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is so common that most sexually active people will get some variety of it at some point, even if they have few sexual partners.
“Some cases of genital HPV infection may not cause any health problems. However, some types can lead to the development of genital warts and even cancers of the cervix, anus, and throat. About half of all females diagnosed with cervical cancer are between 35 and 55 years old.
“Many of these females were most likely exposed to cancer-causing HPV types during their teens and 20’s,”
the CDC stated.
READ ALSO: Expert Highlights Ways You Can Detect Cervical Cancer Early And Increase Survival Rate
Okoye explained that cervical cancer is a type of cancer that affects the lowest part of the uterus (womb), warning that women are more at risk from the age of nine.
“In the prevention of cervical cancer through vaccination, age nine to 14 is highlighted as a key period.
“The good thing is that there is an efficacious and readily available vaccine that can protect against the virus. However, it has to be administered early, from nine years.
“When it comes to prevention against HPV, boys are also vaccinated so that they don’t pick the virus and spread to others,”
she said.
On signs to watch out for, the consultant radiologist said symptoms begin to appear as the disease advances, invading deeper into the cervix and surrounding tissue.
“You can have abnormal vaginal bleeding that is not occurring at your menstrual period, or which is heavier than usual or pelvic pain.
“You may notice pain during or bleeding after Sexual intercourse. If you start having vaginal bleeding during menopause, feel a pelvic mass, notice uncontrolled passing of Urine and stool or heavy vaginal discharge that is watery, blood stained or foul-smelling, visit the doctor.
“However, symptoms of cervical cancer listed above, is not a guarantee that you have the disease. However, it does mean that you should pay a visit to your doctor.
The cancer expert said high prevalence of cervical cancer in developing countries is largely due to anxiety and constraints associated with cervical cancer vaccination.
She noted that Australia, where the HPV vaccines were discovered, have announced the elimination of cervical cancer.
Okoye, however, said collaborative community effort is very effective in the prevention of the noncommunicable disease and must be adopted in Nigeria.
“Effective awareness can be created to ensure that the causative factor of the disease is curtailed. One thing is having the conviction that it can be done, especially in terms of affordability.
“If the international community sees the sincerity in such effort, they can partner to help. Tanzania now gives its citizens oncology treatment through a collaborative effort with developmental partners.
“If we can get our acts right and put up structures that are trusted, we can attract such medical intervention,”
she said.
She noted that the cost of acquiring the HPV vaccine is less expensive when compared to what most Nigerian women spend to fix their hair monthly.
“If we can put in enough funds, structure and implementation plan to foster and put up preventive and early prevention of cervical cancer, we would be shocked at the drop in morbidity and affordability.
“This is because if cervical cancer is detected early, treatment is affordable.
“But if patients come in late, the shift is to the right, which falls into stages two, three and four of the disease.
“Developed countries have millions of women living with cancer but the survival rate is high, unlike in Nigeria.
“Once a woman is diagnosed with cancer here, people would start visiting to pay condolences as if the person is dead. And truly, the person dies.
“That is why the fear of surviving cancer is sustained. Nigerian women are scared to undergo screening for cervical or breast cancer, even when the signs are obvious. They fear that they would die if they find out,”
she said.
The professor revealed that cervical cancer gives a wide window of between 10 to 20 years before it becomes malignant, insisting that such time is enough to nip it in the bud.
“The good thing is that the cause is known – HPV virus. Another is that once it is detected on time, the cervix can be frozen through a procedure called cryotherapy (a cold therapy that involves the local or general use of low temperatures in medical therapy).
“This procedure helps to ensure the changes don’t spread beyond the frozen area.
“Also, the part of the cervix that is affected can be taken out through surgery to stop the continuation of the development,”
she said.
The expert lamented that women don’t usually undergo Pap test to look out for changes in the cervix and if there is any, to start treatment immediately.
Based on an updated guideline from the US Preventive Services Task Force, women are recommended to have their first Pap smear at 21, regardless of onset of sexual activity.
It noted that cervical changes that lead to cancer often take many years to develop, and that HPV infections often go away on their own without causing cancer.
“There are currently no medically-supported natural treatments available for HPV infection.
“Routine screening for HPV and cervical cancer is important for identifying, monitoring, and treating health problems that may result from HPV infection.”
In the treatment of cervical cancer, Okoye said contact tracing is very important, but is difficult to carry out in Nigeria, because most doctors practice what is known as ‘see and treat’.
“We need to be more preventive in our approach, she urged.
“We need to move away from the practice of ‘sick care’, a situation where we sit and wait for people, in order to manage symptoms which can’t even be managed.
“We need to seek out women and treat them to reduce the number of those coming in with cervical cancers.
“For instance, a gynaecologist could attend to several patients for a lifetime without asking if they have been screened for cervical cancer.
“You offer people such essential life service for noncommunicable diseases at the point of care, and at a stage when it can be managed.
“Preventing cervical cancer needs to be deliberate and well thought out. You would find out that most that come for screening are encouraged to do so by NGOs, not doctors.
“People present daily for malaria and other illnesses in the hospital and we miss opportunities to save their lives.”
The consultant radiologist said beyond vaccination, cervical cancer, like others are lifestyle driven, and require certain lifestyle adjustments to be curtailed.
“Cancer is caused by free radicals. Foods high in carcinogenic materials can contribute to overload of free radicals.
“Do away with bad lifestyles that include alcohol consumption, smoking, inhaling polluted air and being inundated with environmental pollutants.
“What level of inflammatory agents like food seasonings and sweeteners are you putting in your body?
“We must embrace healthy eating habits because our naturally grown foods are rich in nutrients and can cleanse the system.
“Take lots of water to be well hydrated and shun sedentary lifestyle by exercising.”