74K women die every year due to cervix cancer: Expert

Vijayawada: Cervix cancer is affecting 1.32 lakh women every year and 74,000 of them are dying, said noted Oncologist Dr AY Rao while addressing the health education programme at Vasavya Nursing Home here on Saturday with Dr G Samaram in the chair.

The specialist said that cervix cancer could be cured in 90 per cent of the cases within six months if it is detected in early stages. Referring to the availability of HPV vaccine to prevent occurrence of cervix cancer, he said that three times the vaccine should be administered in six months to prevent the cancer—after first vaccine, the second vaccine should be administered in the second month and the third one in the sixth month.

He said the women between the age group of 9-26 should be vaccinated and informed that the recent development of the vaccine allows even women at the age of 40 to get vaccine. However, if the vaccine is administered at an early stage hundred per cent protection could be achieved from cervix cancer, he pointed out. Due to lack of awareness, he said 80 per cent of the patients were approaching the doctors very late which would be difficult to save them.

If the symptoms of cervix cancer were not found five years after treatment, it could be deemed that it was successfully cured, he stated. Women who got married before 16 years of age, or who conceived children at an early age, women with multiple sexual relations and sexually transmitted diseases were the reasons for cervix cancer, he stated.

In case of cervix cancer, there would be symptoms like white discharge, heavy bleeding and bleeding after sexual intercourse, he stated and added every woman should undergo simple and low-cost Pap smear test once a month for two months and later once in three years to detect early stage of treatment or surgery. Radiation o chemotheraphy were useful in the later stages, he pointed out.

The specialist said that the women should marry after 20 years, take precautions to avoid sexually transmitted diseases, maintain good hygiene measures to keep the vagina clean and follow healthy lifestyle. Dr G Maru proposed a vote of thanks.