Alex, my hubby created a couple blog.
3. Cervical cancer is caused by the human papilloma virus, or HPV, which is easily transmitted through sexual intercourse or oral sex. Using condoms can cut the risk of transmission.
About 50 to 80 per cent of women will acquire a genital HPV infection in their lifetime. In most women, the virus clears up by itself. But in a small number of women, the virus survives for years. It can then convert some cells on the surface of the cervix into cancer cells. These changes happen very slowly.
4. There are over 100 types of HPV but only 15 types are known to cause cancer. HPV types 16 and 18 cause more than 70 per cent of all cervical cancers and are known as 'high-risk' types. 'Low-risk' HPV virus types don't cause cancer but can lead to genital warts.
When infected with HPV, the cells of the cervix only show signs of a viral infection at first. But over years, the virus can cause the cells to turn pre-cancerous. Doctors call this 'cervical intraepithelial neoplasia'. In time, it can turn into invasive cervical cancer. Women who smoke increase their chances of developing cervical cancer.
5. Men can also get HPV infections which turn into cancers of the penis and rectum, but these are far rarer than cancer of the cervix. The best way to prevent HPV is to have fewer sexual partners and to always use condoms.
6. There are usually no symptoms during the early stages of cervical cancer. In its later stages, symptoms could include bleeding in between periods or during and after sexual intercourse, pelvic pain and heavy or foul vaginal discharge.
7. A pap smear is the best way to detect early stages of cervical cancer. The doctor scrapes off some cells from the surface of the cervix and tests them for abnormalities under a microscope. If your cells are abnormal, the doctors may suggest further tests to examine whether it is just an HPV infection or if it is pre-cancerous. Cells go through a series of changes before they turn into cancer. A pap smear can reveal these changes. This is why it is important to get regular pap smears.
8. Depending on the pre-cancerous changes to the cervix, treatment involves a simple surgery to remove the cancerous tissue or a wait-and-watch approach. If the cancer has spread, it may entail more radical surgery such as removal of the womb, with radiation and chemotherapy to destroy cancer cells.
9. In the case of very early, precancerous changes to the cervix, doctors may also recommend HPV DNA testing to determine if the HPV is a 'high-risk' or 'low-risk' type. If it is 'low-risk', no surgery may be necessary and they would recommend waiting for the virus to clear up on its own. If 'high-risk', they may recommend surgery in the form of a LEEP biopsy or laser vaporisation of pre-cancerous tissue.
10. Two vaccines, Cervarix and Gardasil, provide younger females with a strong immune response against HPV types 16 and 18. The vaccine is most effective when given during adolescence, before the girls start having sex. However, those already infected with HPV may not benefit. Studies are being done on vaccine efficacy in women over 25 years of age.
This story was first published in the Mind Your Body supplement on Feb 27, 2008.
In December 2006, the Health Sciences Authority of Singapore approved the vaccine Gardasil, made by Merck, Sharp & Dohme.
It is the first vaccine shown to protect against two strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) - types 16 and 18 - that are responsible for about 70 per cent of cervical cancers worldwide.
Gardasil is also shown to protect against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause 90 per cent of genital warts, a non-threatening sexually transmitted disease. Genital warts are small flat bumps that occur on the penis or vulva and usually disappear by themselves or with anti-viral treatment. But they can reappear at any time because the virus always stays in the body.
A second vaccine, Cervarix by Glaxosmithkline Biologicals, was approved by the HSA in January this year. Cervarix is also shown to protect against HPV types 16 and 18, and possibly against other related strains of HPV infections.
Both vaccines are approved for females aged nine to 26. Experts say they are most useful when given to younger girls before they become sexually active.
The vaccines are ineffective once the virus is already present. They work by building immunity against two of the worst offending HPVs - types 16 and 18.
However, doctors say that long-term studies are needed to determine how long this immunity lasts.
There are hundreds of strains of HPV, 40 of which are passed through sexual contact. At least half of all sexually active women and men acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives.
Infections caused by this common virus often resolve themselves. However, those that persist in women can cause cell changes in the cervix, which lead to cancer over time.
'Most women recover from HPV infections with no health problems at all. However, a small number are linked to cancers of the cervix,' said Dr Ann Tan, consultant gynaecologist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
About 200 women here are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and roughly half these cancers result in death. It is the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths among women here, after breast, colorectal, lung and ovarian cancers.
Regular Pap smears are the best way to detect early stages of cervical cancer. Doctors say that taking a vaccine does not do away with the need to keep screening for the disease.
Associate Professor Tay Eng Hseon, chairman of KK Women's and Children's Hospital's medical board, said at a press conference recently that the purpose of the vaccines was to give women the immunity to repel the virus and prevent an infection.
But the cost of vaccination is high, at around $230 an injection, with a total of three shots to be spaced over six months. The total cost is about $700.
Doctors here said that the take-up for vaccines here has been low, although no figures are available.
P.S.
now it's reduced to $450 for three jabs, ladies please take up vaccines like NOW! Let your mum know, they'll understand, before it's too late. I'm already freaking out, i'm not kidding. This is very serious, my mum had her womb removed. Now vaccination is available at a high price but look at a different point of view, you can prevent youself from getting the second most common cancer worldwide among women(first is breast cancer). Why not? rather than removing your womb, never have a chance of getting pregnant ever again. You have ever right to freak out NOW!!!
