The Sunday News
EARLY sexual encounters and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been identified as the most common causes of cervical cancer among women.
At least nine percent of over 4 900 women screened in Bulawayo have cervical cancer, latest statistics have proven. These statistics were drawn from women who underwent cervical cancer screening at the United Bulawayo Hospitals and Mpilo Central Hospital.
Mpilo clinical director Dr Wedu Ndebele said from January to 13 October 2014, 1 635 women were screened for cancer and 58 tested positive.
“From the 58, 27 women have proved that it’s actually cancer while the others had suspicious symptoms and were referred for biopsy. Depending on the degree of the cancer, at Mpilo our machine is able to treat mild cases while we also refer serious cases to gynaecologists,” Dr Ndebele said.
The United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) recorded 3 269 women who underwent cervical cancer screening at the institution since January this year.
“Out of the 3 269 that took the tests, 292 tested positive for cervical cancer from January up to October. Those that tested positive were managed accordingly.”
The women that were screened were not only drawn from Bulawayo but from different parts of Matabeleland provinces as the institution is a referral centre.
Dr Ndebele said cervical cancer was transmitted sexually when one gets infected with the human papilloma virus (HPV) and this was fuelled by early sexual encounters.
He urged women to be screened regularly once in every two or three years.
“We encourage regular screening to combat the spread of cancer, especially women in their 40s going upwards as well as HIV positive women as it spreads faster,” Dr Ndebele explained.
He also said as women grew older they were most likely to have cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer accounts for 32 percent of all cancers among women. It starts in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that opens at the top of the vagina and is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).
One of the most common symptoms of cervical cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer has progressed to an advanced stage.
More than 5 000 new cancer diagnoses (all types) are made in Zimbabwe.
Annually, the number of people developing cancer is expected to increase due to an increasing aging population, HIV and AIDS, and unhealthy lifestyle choices. Most cancer patients (80 percent) in Zimbabwe present late third and fourth stages, resulting in increased premature deaths from cancer. Diagnosis of cancer at earlier stages of disease can enhance chances of successful treatment outcomes and greatly increases chances of a successful cure.
Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said there was a sharp increase in the number of women testing positive for cervical cancer with 5 000 new infections recorded annually.
He said the upsurge in new infections was a cause for concern for Government which is working hard to combat the disease through early detection and treatment.
As part of the disease’s prevention strategies, Dr Parirenyatwa said his ministry had embarked on a HPV vaccine programme to try and prevent young girls from acquiring cervical cancer.
“The HPV vaccination programme is targeting girls between eight and 13. However, it is currently restricted to pilot sites in Beitbridge and Masvingo with plans to roll it out to the rest of the country,” said the minister.
Health experts say HPV is responsible for 98 percent of all cervical cancers in Zimbabwe.
The HPV vaccine is complemented by the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid and Cerviography (Viac), a method of testing cervical cancer.
Viac is a faster and more efficient method of testing for cervical cancer which involves taking pictures of the cervix. Diagnosis is instant and treatment is also prescribed immediately.
Health experts say cervical cancer accounts for one-third of all cancer cases in Zimbabwe and is the leading cause of cancer deaths among Zimbabwean women.
