Young women more vulnerable to deadly cervical cancer

Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
CONCERNS have emerged that cervical cancer is affecting young women in their 20s prompting medical experts to call for early screening and treatment of the sexually and economically active demographic group so that they continue playing a part in the development of the country.

Women that are most at risk of developing cervical cancer are those who have early sexual debuts, have  multiple concurrent sexual partners, HIV-positive, with high parity (five or more births) and those who smoke.

However, new information available shows that young women around 20 years of age and some younger are now suffering from cervical cancer which is likely to increase mortality in that age group.
Gynaecologist and acting clinical director of United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) Dr Harrison Rambanapasi said the trend was disturbing that very young women were being affected and dying.

 

“Cervical cancer tends to affect relatively young women who are economically active in their 30s, 40s and we are starting to see a disturbing trend of women in their 20s developing cervical cancer and that has serious economic implications. That nurse that we will be looking up to, to work for the next 20 years is quickly swallowed by cancer and they die yet we will be expecting them to be able to serve the country for years,” he said.

This cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and is only second to breast cancer. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) over 500 000 are diagnosed every year with cervical cancer and half of them die from it. Dr Rambanapasi said in Zimbabwe cervical cancer was the most common cancer in women and was killing much more than HIV.

The disease is caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) type 16 and 18 and is largely sexually transmitted. Dr Rambanapasi explained some of the common symptoms.

“Symptoms in the early stages of the cancer may not be there and one is said to be asymptomatic.

Another symptom is irregular vaginal bleeding, they bleed when they should not and their menstrual cycle becomes irregular again, they may experience bleeding after sexual intercourse. A vaginal discharge is also seen which is watery and does not smell but with time it then thickens like pus and becomes smelly. Pain is a late symptom of cervical cancer. As the disease progresses patients may get anemias, they will be losing a lot of blood,” he said.

He said over 4 000 women have been screened at UBH in the past year.

“According to the latest statistics from UBH VIAC Centre, we screened 4 415 women of which 1 822 were new clients and the rest were repeat clients. Then 206 of those were VIAC positive with 71 patients already with cervical cancer by the time they came for screening,” he said.

He, however, clarified that if a woman is VIAC positive it does not translate to cervical cancer, it means they are in the pre-cancer stage showing minor changes on the cervix but not yet cancer.

In 2010 at UBH the Ministry of Health and Child Care introduced free screening using Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIAC) and cervicography as it is a relatively cheap method of screening and results are instant.

Screening is done annually for HIV-positive women as there is faster progression of the cancer while those who are negative are screened after three years.

Dr Rambanapasi also tabled treatment options for cervical cancer.

“There is cryotherapy where we basically freeze the cervix and cancerous cells will die away. There is also heat ablation that will kill the abnormal cells too. We also use loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) where we cut off the affected parts of the cervix with a wire laden with electricity. Some patients however ask to have the womb completely removed (hysterectomy). We also have radiotherapy available at Mpilo and Parirenyatwa Hospitals that can be used for patients,” he explained. — @NyembeziMu
#CervicalCancerAwarenesMonth