Dr. Concepcion Damaso-Rayel is today’s Mabel at your Service public affairs program guest in consonance with the Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. According to Dr. Rayel, “Cervical cancer is the most common genital tract malignancy in the Philippines and worldwide. This is one disease that can be avoided. If diagnosed at its early stages, cervical cancer can be treated.”
What causes cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer is caused by persistent infection with a common and contagious virus, human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted through sexual contact and skin to skin contact. Cervical cancer begins in the cervix and becomes gradually more invasive if left untreated. It usually starts at the collar of the cervix.
Who is affected by cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer affects women of different ages and backgrounds across the world. Women who started young in having sex are frequently affected by this.
At what age are women most likely to develop cervical cancer?
Any woman may be infected with HP virus even at an early age since it does not progress cervical cancer immediately because it generally takes awhile for the disease to progress.
The highest burden of diagnosis of cervical cancer is among women aged 35 to 44. Cervical cancer is extremely rare in women under the age of 20.
What is the risk of dying from cervical cancer?
A woman dies of this disease every 2 seconds. Approximately 2.6 out of every 100,000 women will die of cervical cancer each year.
What are the treatment options for cervical cancer?
There are different options to treat patients with cervical cancer. The most common is surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, and in some cases the use of two or more methods works best. These treatment options all may have profound and lasting physical effects – including early menopause.
What is Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
HPV is a common and contagious virus. There are more than 100 types of HPV; more than 30 of which are spread through sexual contact. These can be further divided into oncogenic and non-oncogenic types. There are at least 15 oncogenic types of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer. Types 16, 18, 45 and 31 are collectively responsible for 80 percent of cervical cancers globally.
How common is HPV infection and does it always cause cancer?
HPV is very common, but cervical cancer is not. It is estimated that at least 80 percent of women will acquire a genital HPV infection by the time they reach the age of 50. Both younger and older women are at risk of cervical cancer because of infection with oncogenic HPV.
The body’s defense mechanisms clear most HPV infections without any risk of the infection progressing to cancer. But some women infected with oncogenic HPV types develop long-term, persistent infections. These women are more likely to develop progressive, high-grade, precancerous lesions. If these are not detected by screening and treated, cervical cancer may
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Do condoms prevent against HPV infection?
Condoms are up to 70 percent effective in preventing HPV infection. Unfortunately, this cannot fully protect the patient since the virus may be in the surrounding skin of the sexual partner. They do not protect completely against the infection with the virus because infection does not depend on penetrative sex; it occurs from skin-to-skin contact of the genital area. Reducing this skin-to-skin contact may reduce the risk of infection.
If a woman is in a long-term, monogamous relationship, is she still at risk of HPV infection?
Sexually active women are at risk of contracting HPV, even women who started having sex at a very young age. HPV is a common infection and is usually transmitted through sexual activity.
The risk of HPV infection can increase based on the total lifetime relationships that the woman and her partner have had prior to their current relationship. Therefore, monogamy does not necessarily remove the risk of HPV infection.
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Her Message: “Importante may nararamdaman o wala nagpapa check-up. Early detection is always better than cure. Magandang magpabakuna para maiwasang magkaroon nito. Let take care of our women. Let us encourage our mothers, grand mothers, sisters, daughters, cousins, partners and friends to be concern with their reproductive health. “
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