Cervical cancer can be a deadly disease, now it becomes a big challenge for the society. Every two minutes around the world, a woman dies of cervical cancer while in India it succumbs in every eight minutes.
Cervical cancer kills nearly 190 women in India every day which clearly shows that it has become one of the common fatal diseases in India, said Dr Rita Hazra, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at RC Hazra Memorial Hospital Dhanbad.
The main cause of cervical cancer is one of the 170 strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), she said adding “this virus can easily transmit through sexual contact. Even skin-to-skin contact can spread the virus”.
This disease is rampantly spreading wings across the coal-belt Dhanbad and the figure is alarming, said Dr Vikash Hazra. The recent study reveals, “every year at least 23 thousand new women are getting infected with Cervical Cancer in Dhanbad only”, he said. “The figures are alarming, however, the reason behind such a rampant spread of the disease is of a great concern”, he added.
Cervical cancer can be successfully treated in its early stages. The treatment and prognosis also depend on the type and stage of cancer, said Dr Vikash.
Though cervical cancer is completely preventable now its vaccine is available and can be injected to the women aged between 9 to 47 years, he said.
“HPV vaccination can protect from several types of cancers by stopping the spread of the virus, which results in the reduction of cervical and other HPV-related cancers”, he added.
According to the WHO, India has the highest rate of cervical cancer in the world. One in every 10 cancer deaths worldwide is in urban India. Cervical cancer had been more prevalent in rural and semi-urban areas where hygiene is an issue.
The HPV infection is completely curable and if detected and reported early, further damage to the cervical cells and cancer can be prevented, said another Gynaecologist of state health department.
HPV initially causes genital warts and other abnormal skins and body surface disorders lead to many changes in cervical cells that may eventually lead to cancer. Fascinated with modern lifestyle girls are getting sexually active at a very young age and are even involved sexually with multiple partners. “So, we advise parents to get their girls vaccinated at the age of 12 or 13 as the frequency of cervical cancer is the highest in age between 12 and 28 years”, she added.
Though HPV vaccine is much costlier and each and every one may not afford it so government should launch school-based and community-based vaccination programme in a bid minimize the mortality rates.
