Cervical cancer emerges biggest killer of women in India

New Delhi, Dec 6 : Despite the availability of a preventive vaccine, cervical cancer has emerged the biggest killer of Indian women as every seven minute a woman dies of it.

India shares a burden of 1,74,000 cervical cancer deaths of the total five lakh deaths occurring globally every year. The number of cervical cancer deaths is more than breast cancer, experts lamented and pointed out that this was happening despite availability of a vaccine against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), the causative organism responsible for the fatal disease.

They felt that due to low priority being given to women's health in the country, the disease remains neglected resulting in higher death toll.

'We are running around to procure vaccine for H1N1 Virus. But are we aware that cancer cervix is one of the leading causes of death in females in our country, ' said a panel of medical experts while attending a programme organized by the Rockland hospital here.

They stressed on the need of urgent attention to tackle the growing cervical cancer deaths as it was the only cancer which can be prevented by vaccine and which, if diagnosed in its very early stages, could not be life threatening. There are two new vaccines -- bivalent and quadrivates types -- have come up against cancer cervix and they should be given to in three doses over a period of 6 month to every woman in the age group of 10 years to 45 years.

'If we can vaccinate our child against hepatitis, polio and other diseases then why not against Cancer Cervix. Is it because it involves the female population only,' wondered Dr Sheetal Aggrawal, Senior Gynaecologist, Rockland Hospital.

She also said there was really no way to know for sure if one was going to get cervical cancer. However, certain risk factors, which included family history, obesity, smoking and having more children, make a woman more likely to get cervical cancer.

However, regular screening with a Pap test and taking steps to prevent high-risk HPV infection could help in reducing the onset of disease.

An HPV infection is usually harmless and temporary and anyone who has had sex, both men and women, can get infected with the virus, Dr Aggarwal explained and added that three out of four people between the ages of 15 and 49 get an HPV infection in their lifetime without even knowing it as the virus tends to go away on its own. Only 15 strains of HPV are high-risk types which could cause cervical cancer and the only way to identify them was to be tested. Of these viral strains HPV types, 16 and 18 cause about 70 per cent of all cervical cancers.

If high-risk types of HPV do not go away on their own, they may lead to cervical cancer. Infection with persistent high-risk HPV has been shown to cause virtually all cervical cancers. Use of condoms during sex protect from HPV along with HIV and Chlamydia, but not always, she added. Women who smoke are twice as likely to get cervical cancer compared to non-smokers as chemicals in cigarettes get into the bloodstream and in the mucus of cervix. Also, smoking may change some of the genes in the cervix cells making them predispose to developing cancer, Dr K K Pandey, Head of the Department of Oncology, Rockland Hospital, said.

He also said women with HIV infection also have a weakened immune system and for them, it was harder to get rid of a high-risk HPV infection. As a result, they have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer and other diseases, he added.

Studies have shown that women, who had cervical cancer before, have a higher chance of getting cervical cancer again. Similarly, if someone's mother or sister has had cervical cancer, it increased their risk as well. A link has been found between Chlamydia infection and cervical cancer, Dr Pandey pointed out.

Also women using oral contraceptive pills for more than five years have greater risk of getting the disease.

Poor women tend to be at higher risk of acquiring cervical cancer. Health experts attribute this to their not having access to good healthcare facilities and screenings, and also, they may not be able to afford a well-balanced diet. Eating fruits and vegetables, especially foods with carotene and vitamins A, C, and help lower the risk of cervical cancer.

Women giving birth to several children have a greater chance of getting cervical cancer.

--UNI