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Tag: cervical cancer

  • Cervical cancer ‘deadlier in Black women’

    Cervical cancer ‘deadlier in Black women’

    Cervical cancer is a highly preventable cancer that can turn deadly if left undetected for too long. A study published in the journal Cancer discovered that the death rate from cervical cancer is much higher than previous estimates.

    The study analysed data from the National Centre for Health Statistics and, for the first time, adjusted for women who had had a hysterectomy, a procedure in which all or parts of the uterus are removed, including the cervix. Without a cervix, women cannot develop cervical cancer.

    With the adjustment, the study’s researchers discovered that the death rate from cervical cancer dramatically jumped. For black women, the corrected mortality rate was 10.1 per 100,000 women (up from 5.7 per 100,000 women), and for white women, the corrected rate was 4.7 per 100,000 women (up from 3.2 per 100,000). “A correction for hysterectomy has revealed that cervical cancer mortality rates are underestimated, particularly in black women,” researchers wrote.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 11,955 women in the U.S. were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2013 (the most recent year for which numbers are available), and 4,217 women died from the disease. Cervical cancer used to be the leading cause of cancer death for women in the U.S., the organisation says. However, the number of cases has significantly declined in the past 40 years due to proper screening.

    The main cause of cervical cancer is human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection, the CDC states. Pap tests (also known as Pap smears) look for precancerous cells on a woman’s cervix that may develop cervical cancer if they’re not detected and treated properly, and the HPV test detects human papillomavirus; both tests are recommended by the CDC to help prevent cervical cancer.

    The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists currently recommends that women receive a Pap smear every three years, but Lauren Streicher, M.D., an associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Beauty that many women don’t receive one at all, increasing the risk that they’ll develop cervical cancer that goes undetected until it’s too late. “People are just not being screened,” she says. “You only need a Pap test every three years, which turns into every 10 years for some women, which turns into not doing it at all.”

    As for the discrepancy in risk due to race, Jessica Shepherd, M.D., an assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology and director of Minimally Invasive Gynecology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, tells Yahoo Beauty that it’s likely due to lack of access to care. “There’s a big difference in those who are insured and not insured, what type of education women get in cancer prevention and why Pap smears are so important,” she says. “Because of the lack of access to care, women are getting diagnosed with HPV — the leading cause of cervical cancer — later on rather than earlier, giving them an increased risk that it will progress into cervical cancer,” she says.

    Shepherd stresses the importance of regular Pap smears for women, as well as follow-up care, if recommended. Women may require a biopsy if they have positive test results, she says, as well as other treatments that can lower the odds that their abnormal cervical cells will turn into cancer.

    The HPV vaccine can also help prevent cervical cancer, Streicher points out, but it’s underutilised. (The CDC reports that in 2014, 40 percent of teen girls and 60 percent of teen boys had not received even one dose of the HPV vaccine.) “It blows my mind that we have a vaccine to prevent this cancer and there’s any question about getting the vaccine,” Streicher says.

    Streicher stresses that cervical cancer is a preventable disease. “There should be no deaths from cervical cancer,” she says. “This is a travesty that this is happening.”

     

  • Ubi Franklin woos celebs for cervical cancer campaign

    Ubi Franklin woos celebs for cervical cancer campaign

    As part of efforts to mark the cervical cancer awareness month, Ubi Franklin has called on celebrities to help campaign against the disease ahead of a programme being coordinated by Exquisite magazine.

    “I support exquisite magazine to prevent cervical cancer; early detection is key,” Franklin said.

    “January is cervical cancer awareness month. Too many women are dying of a cancer that is preventable. Join us as we raise the awareness for cervical cancer and get screened.”

    Other celebrities that have been called for the project are Tonto Dikeh,  Gbenro Ajibade, Noble Igwe, Iyanya, Tekno, Selebobo, Annie Idibia, AY, among others.

    The United States Congress has designated January as Cervical Health Awareness Month.

  • 100 undergo free breast cancer surgery in Ogun

     No fewer than 100 people have benefited from the free breast surgeries sponsored by the Ogun State government.
    The breakdown showed that more than 80 people have undergone breast cancer surgeries free of charge at the Onabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu; while more than 20 have enjoyed free mammogram.
    Flagging off the exercise at the University Teaching Hospital, the Wife of the Governor of Ogun State and President of the UPLIFT Development Foundation, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun the state government is fulfilling its promise to women who had early benefited from the free Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening early this month by paying their surgery bills as a means of reducing maternal mortality rate in the state.
    The governor’s wife explained that lumps removed from the breast of the beneficiaries would be taken to the laboratory for examination to know if the specimens were cancerous or not so that they could be referred upward for further treatment, advising women to embrace self-breast examination and go for regular medical check-up to know their health status in order to stay healthy and reduce health risk.
    Highlight of the programme was the official commissioning of the newly built and equipped UPLIFT Development Foundation Cancer Screening Centre at the Onabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu.
    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Toheeb Adebowale and Oloyede Oyenike described the wife of the governor as a compassionate and a care-giver who has been at the fore-front of cancer campaign to save the lives of the people of Ogun State, particularly the less privileged in the society. They expressed their gratitude to the governor’s wife and the state government for fulfilling their promise of paying for their medical bills.
  • Lack of access to vaccination fuelling cervical cancer—Experts

    Lack of access to vaccination fuelling cervical cancer—Experts

    In Nigeria where cervical cancer is said to be one of the major killers of women, many cases of deaths are said to go on unreported because the country lacks a cancer registry. However, the case of Lara Sonoiki, the CEO of Dress Sense, a popular fashion outlet on Allen Avenue in Lagos is one of the few reported cases. It would be recalled that Sonoiki recently celebrated her 40th birthday when she lost the battle to the terminal illness.

    Another Nigerian woman who was said to have lost her life to the scourge was Prof. Dora Akunyili, the former DG NAFDAC and  former Minister for Information. Though her husband would later come out to deny the claim of her dying of cervical cancer, saying she died of a rare type of cancer.

    The import of her story goes to discredit the age long belief that cervical cancer is a disease for white women since many celebrities in Europe and America have been known to die from the disease. Nigeria reportedly has the 10th highest number of deaths from cervical cancer globally.

    In January 2014, the Society for Family Health (SFH), reported that cervical cancer killed about 9,659 women in the country. Mr. Bright Ekweremadu, Managing Director was quoted in a report which said most women get Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), infection at least once in 50 years. He said it is only a few of them that develop cervical cancer. According to him, next to breast cancer, cervical cancer, which claims the life of about 9,659 women annually, is the second most frequent cancer among women in Nigeria.

    Another thing which makes the situation more pathetic is that the country has been rated the first nation in Africa and the fifth in the world with the highest cervical cancer deaths. This is according to a new report released in May last year by the Cervical Cancer Free Coalition, titled “Crisis Card.” The report stated that cervical cancer has reached a crisis level in Nigeria with 9,659 women dying of the disease every year.

    Although a deadly disease, cervical cancer is  99 per cent preventable with a vaccine and also 97 per cent treatable when detected early through screening. This is why developed countries seem to have an upper hand in controlling it because women have access to vaccine and they get information about regular screening.

    Another worrying dimension in the upsurge of the death of cervical cancer is the fact that young women between ages 20-30 are also coming down with the disease. This has led to many stakeholders advocating for a government to subsidize vaccine for women and also put in place a firm national policy on cancer.

    Reacting to the question whether it is not an exaggeration that one woman dies in an hour of cervical cancer in Nigeria, Dr. Femi Olaleye, the founder of Optimal Cancer care foundation said it is not.

    “It is not. That is over 20 women in a day. That is about 8-10 thousand in a year. Most people think cervical cancer is a rare disease but it is not. It is common. In the bible, the woman with issue of blood that Jesus Christ healed, that was cervical cancer (laughs). You know we doctors diagnose based on symptoms so it is not an assumption. It is just that people cover it up.”

    Dr Olaleyemi also asserted that the prevalence of cervical cancer is not taken seriously because of the lack of a cancer registry in the country.

    “The question to ask is where is the cancer registry in Nigeria? We need a national cancer registry so that all cases of cancer can be reported. That way you will know that it is not a rare disease. We don’t report our cancer cases. Some of them don’t even come to the hospitals-they blame their neigbours and families in the village out of ignorance. Women are dying from cervical cancer quietly. It is the number one killer of Nigerian women. The good news is that it is a disease that can be prevented when detected early which means that all that are at risk, that is, women that have had sex must go for screening.”

    Prevention

    Cervical cancer can be prevented through a primary prevention which is vaccination for those who have not had sex and a secondary prevention of screening for those who are sexually active. For women who are already sexually active, once they take the vaccine, they are protected for a subsequent number of years.

    To prevent cervical cancer from killing more women in Nigeria, Dr Olaleye advocates that pre-sexually active teenagers should be provided with free vaccines.

    “Government should make vaccination free for young girls so that we can give it to them from schools. But because government is not responsible for the diagnosis and care of patients who have cervical cancer, there is no pressure on them to prevent it. If there was a burden on the national government to treat women with cervical cancer, they would want to prevent it. This is why they make screening and vaccination free for young girls in other countries but our women don’t have such privileges, ” the gynaecologist opined.

    At a Global Cervical Cancer Prevention forum held in Malaysia in 2013, stakeholders who spoke at the conference identified cost of the HPV vaccine and poor commitment from governments where this disease is rampant as reasons why more women are dying from cervical cancer.

    Although the cost of the HPV vaccine given to girls and women to prevent the cancer which was formerly pegged at about N20, 800 has been reduced to about N15, 000, many Nigerian women still cannot afford to pay to get vaccinated.

    A donor agency known as GAVI Alliance, which receives funding support from Bill and Melinda Gate foundation is already providing subsidy for the vaccine in some selected African countries.

    The fact that Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest number of prevalence notwithstanding, the CEO of Gavi Alliance, Dr. Seth Berkley said at the conference that Nigeria would be excluded from benefiting from the globally subsided vaccines due to poor vaccination system and poor coverage.

    “The immunisation coverage in Nigeria is just above 40 per cent. For this programme to be effective, we are only giving it to countries that have demonstrated that they have the capacity, infrastructure and human resources to get the HPV vaccines administered effectively.

    “We are not giving it to countries where we can see that their cold chain storage system is not effective and vaccines cannot be stored appropriately or where vaccines would not get to the end users because they do not have the human resources or facilities. Nigeria has not met these criteria,” Berkley was quoted to have said in a media report.

    Although denied of the privilege, this is not to say that Nigeria as a country cannot make provision for subsidized vaccines for its women without support from international organisation.

    “Government is not taking vaccination for cervical cancer serous because they are thinking of how much money it will cost them. The reason why they think it is a lot of money is because nobody is counting the cost of the women that are dying. If the cost of women that are dying daily in this country is counted and government can see it as a loss, then they can now see the need to pay attention to prevention.

    “The vaccine is about N4-5, 000 per dose which is about N15, 000 per person. But the cost of a woman’s death from cervical cancer is probably more than 15, 000 naira to the society and the whole country. The vaccination can be spread over a 10 year period; it is not something you do at once. You can vaccinate only 16 years old in a particular year, and take another age group in another year. The fund remains the same and everybody will be covered,” Dr Olaleye stated.

    He further advised that government can carry out free vaccination in partnership with faith based organisations and corporate organisations who can donate a certain percentage of the profits to vaccinate young girls as a form of CSR.

    Disagreeing with international agencies who refused to fund vaccine subsidy for Nigeria  on excuse of  cold chain storage facility, he stated:

    “Some international organisations are deferring from giving vaccine subsidy to Nigerians based on the claim that we don’t have the cold chain, which is false.

    “It depends on the infrastructure you set up and I give almost about 300 vaccines a month here so I get a lot of people relaying on making sure I keep my cold chain continuous. Question is can you be sure of the person who is wholesaling, of course the person who is retailing the vaccine has a huge  cold room and that is where they store their vaccines. GSK who imports from their French/Belgium European counterparts also ensure that when the vaccines arrive the Murtala Muhammed airport, it’s easily transferred to a cold room. And then when I’m taking it to a remote area, I put them in freezer bags with the same thing to ensure it is cold.  It is a challenge but we can surmount it, he affirmed.”

    In trying to control the spread of cancer, stakeholders in the health centre have made case for a government policy in cancer management. Citing the case of the seriousness with which the Ebola case was treated, Dr. Olaleye said that with a policy from government that is backed up with a budget, then government can be taken more seriously on the fight against cancer.

  • Sitz bath, carrot can combat cervical cancer, says expert

    Sitz bath, carrot can combat cervical cancer, says expert

    A natural health practitioner has recommended regular consumption of carrots and sitz bath, which is a warm, shallow bath that cleanses the perineum (the space between the rectum and the vulva or scrotum) for the prevention of cervical cancer.

    This, according to the Director of Programme, Green Centre Academy, Darlington Okafor, can help to put the disease at bay.

    He said vegetables and fruits are good for preventing cervical cancer, stressing that carrot is one of such vegetables.

    “Carrots have strong antioxidant properties and they contain falcarinol, which is a natural compound that is highly effective at slowing down the development of cancer. Scientists found that those with pre-cancerous tumor who eat plenty of carrots as less likely to develop full-scale tumor.

    “So, women can cook their carrots or eat them raw. It is best to keep the carrots whole during boiling or steaming and chopping them only afterwards to retain the antioxidant nutrients and falcarinol. Also, maximum benefits can be gotten from drinking two glasses of freshly juiced carrots thrice a week,” Okafor said.

    Carrots, he said, are vegetables, which have water soluble vitamins but the vitamins may be lost if the back is peeled before washing. To avoid this, people should wash them without peeling and eat with the back,” he said.

    Advising women, he urged them to maintain good hygiene by washing their private part with clean water. They should also work on their hormone, eat proper diet and enjoy sitz bath from time to time, he added.

    Sitz bath, Okafor said, can be a part of a woman’s daily personal hygiene, thus providing relief from pain or itching in the genital area where cervical and uterine cancer occur.

    “It is important to know that female genitalia are complex and delicate. The major role of the female genitalia is to hold the miracle of life in the section called uterus. For some women, this role may never get fulfilled because of cancer of cervix and uterus,” he said.

    He urged women to protect their genitalia since it is more exposed than those of men, stressing: “It is continually exposed to infections”.

    Women, he said, should maintain good hygiene in this area by avoiding products, such as soap and dust (When they stand to urinate by road sides) and contraceptive foams into it.

    Besides, the female reproductive system, he said, is capable of cleaning itself naturally to maintain its acidic PH level.

    “If any foreign substance is introduced into it, the acidic state which serves as protection against bacteria and fungi will be lost and it will become home to various infections.

    “A common example is the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). This type of infection should be avoided like a plaque. This is because the presence of HPV and HIV are most likely to be followed by cervical cancer.”

    Describing how cervical cancer occurs, he said, it starts at the cervix or neck of the uterus, that is, the cells lining before it begins to grow uncontrolled and changes from pre-cancer to full cancer. “A study by the University of Washington in the United States found that cervical cancer is common among women who became sexually active before age 21 and have had more than one partner. This is because the vaginal mucosa and the cervix are not matured at such young age.  Smoking and multiple pregnancies are other causes,” he said.

    Okafor said the presence of cervical cancer is indicated by abnormal vaginal discharge, persistent pelvic pain, abnormal vaginal bleeding, especially during or after intercourse.

  • Cervical cancer: Women urged to take vaccine

    Women have been urged to go for regular screening and take vaccines to prevent cervical cancer.

    Speaking yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at a sensitisation programme on cervical cancer organised by the Women Committee of the Independent Marketing Branch (IMB), Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Lagos Zonal Council, a doctor and cancer expert, Dr. Bridget Kolade, said prevention is the only way of fighting cancer.

    The programme, which was held at the IPMAN building in Odo Ona, featured various health checks, including HIV screening, cervical cancer screening and blood sugar tests, among women.

    Dr. Kolade said cervical cancer, which affects the mouth of the womb, is difficult to manage.

    She said: “Cancer is difficult to manage; that is why it is called a terminal disease, but it can be prevented. That is why we are hammering on prevention because once it starts, it gets difficult and almost impossible to manage.”

    Dr. Kolade said cervical cancer, which is caused by the Human Papilloma virus, is the second commonest type of cancer affecting women in developing countries, after breast cancer.

    Lamenting that many cases lead to death because of ignorance and failure to go for regular screening, which could have ensured early detection and treatment, she urged governments at all levels to raise awareness and make screening centres more visible and accessible.

    Dr. Kolade said: “The government has a lot to do here too. People should be encouraged to go for screening. The testing centres can be put in markets and other public places accessible to women.”

    She said the anti-cervical cancer vaccine is very effective from age 10 to 65.

    IMB Zonal Chairperson Mrs. Oyeleke Adejoke said: “Women are the mothers of the nation and they face various health challenges, one of which is cancer of various types. We have conducted programmes on other types of cancers and diseases affecting women and because of the seriousness of cervical cancer, we decided to focus on it this time.”

  • Cervical cancer preventable

    Cervical cancer preventable

    Cervical cancer is now one of the most common cancers in women overall, exacerbated by the lack of reproductive health information for women and delayed access to treatment in rural areas.

    According to the World Cancer Research Fund, “About 86 per cent of cervical cancer cases occur in less developed countries. The highest incidence of cervical cancer is in Eastern, Western and Southern Africa.”

    The cervix is the lower, narrow end of the uterus. The cervix connects the vagina (birth canal) to the uterus. The uterus (or womb) is where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant.

    Cancer is a disease in which the cells in the body develop out of control. When cancer starts in the cervix, it is called cervical cancer. Cancer of the cervix is often deadly as it metastasizes or spreads to other parts of the body.

    Cervical cancers don’t always spread, but those that do most often spread to the lungs, the liver, the bladder, the vagina, and the rectum.

    Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer. HPV is a common virus that is passed from one person to another during sex. Unfortunately, at least half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives. However, not all women will get cervical cancer but all women are at elevated risk.

    The majority of cases occur in midlife rather than old age and it is one of the most common cancers in women under 35. Preventative cervical screening programmes can cut cervical cancer death rates and provide a means of early detection.

    When cervical cancer is found early, it is highly treatable and is often associated with long survival and good quality of life outcomes.

    Types of cervical cancer

    There are two main types of cervical cancers: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. About 80 to 90 per cent of cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinomas starts in the surface of the cells that line the cervix that can rapidly multiply into active cancer.

    Cervical adenocarcinomas seem to have become more common in the past 20 to 30 years but still only make up 5 to 10 per cent of cervical cancers. This form is more difficult to detect as it often starts higher up in the cervical canal and is commonly missed by a screening test.

    Although most cervical cancers are either squamous cell carcinomas or adenocarcinomas, other types of cancer also can develop in the cervix as well. These types include melanoma, sarcoma, and lymphoma but they are more likely to occur in other parts of the body.

    Symptoms of cervical cancer

    Cervical cancer is often silent. In the early stages there are usually no symptoms and that’s the purpose of screenings to pick up abnormal cells before it’s too late. Once cancer is established, the most common symptom is bleeding between periods or after sex. Menstrual bleeding may also be heavier or last longer than normal.

    Other common symptoms include pain in the pelvic area before, during or after intercourse as well as pain or difficult urination. Another red flag is any sort of unusual or unpleasant smelling discharge from the vagina. However, these symptoms may indicate other problems than cervical cancer as well.

    More than 95 per cent of cervical cancer cases can be prevented – get checked now.

    Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. You can reach him via:

    Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com

    Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard

    Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

     

  • ‘Blood donation, cervical cancer need more awareness’

    NIGERIANS have been enjoined to engage in voluntary blood donation and screen for cancer, especially women in particular regularly.

    That was the thrust of the 21st convocation of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu campus. It was themed: Health is wealth.

    The students said many young adults do not donate blood and screen for cancer because the opportunity to do so was not there.

    A member of the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS), Mr Solomon Eka, said there is no cause for fear in voluntary blood donation because the donors would be given a free medical check up and their blood is the safest of all other types of blood donation.

    “Shortage of blood can lead to death, so also excess of blood can lead to death. It is safer to donate the blood to those who are in need. Blood donation strengthens the bone marrow and cleanse the body. Every healthy person within the age of 18 to 65 years can donate blood in space of three months,” he said.

    On cervical cancer, Principal Medical Officer, Lagos State Polytechnic Medical Centre, Mrs Oladunni Aluko, said cervical cancer is on the rise, killing many people, both the rich and poor, young and old.

    “Virginal infection, unusual or unpleasant smelling vaginal discharge, painful sexual intercourse, painful or difficult urination and bleeding between periods are some of the symptoms of cervical cancer. Loss of appetite, cervix pain and back pain are other higher symptoms of cervical cancer,” she said.

    She added that early exposure to sexual life, multiple sexual partners and smoking are some of the risk factors of cervical cancer.

    Mrs Aluko advised ladies to be sensitive to every abnormality in their cervix saying that this could be a sign of cervical cancer. “Go to a doctor whenever such is noticed,” she stated.

    An ND 2 Computer science student, Ibukun Adeleke, said the essence of blood donation is to save lives: ‘Giving blood is an easy action that can really help someone in need. I encourage everyone, whether you have given in the past or not to give blood. As students, we could help to tackle the huge shortage of blood with the potential to save lives.’

    Another donor Ateroko Misturat, said voluntary blood donation is a safe exercise and noted that blood donations are needed every year to meet the needs of accident victims, cancer patients and children with blood disorders.

    Mr Tunde Philips a worker in the institution said there is need for people to know more about blood donation and cervical cancer. “Government should provide more centres for both to be done easily,” he stated.