Couple of doctors in the capital city have voiced their pledge in the fight against cervical cancer, which is amongst the top two causes of cancer mortality in women in India.
Medicos lamented that cervical cancer killed around 67,477 women every year in the country and India contributes 23 per cent to the world incidence of cervical cancer with 1,22,844 new cervical cancer cases diagnosed annually in India. These and many other concerning facts were shared by medical experts on the eve of International Women’s Day.
Speaking to mark the occasion of the International Women’s Day, Dr Rajeev Shrivastva, DNB, DCH, Senior Consultant (Pediatrics) in Dehradun, said that cervical cancer was a type of cancer which affects the cervix, which was the lower most portion of the uterus. Unlike other cancers, where the cause most often is unknown, cervical cancer is caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV infection usually resolved spontaneously, but if untreated, these may progress to cervical cancer over a period of 20-30 years. Regular screening and vaccination are two of the most effective ways for preventing the disease.
Dr Shrivastva said that the reality was that any woman could get cervical cancer, which many women in India were unaware of. It could happen to any sexually active woman, young or old. Since the symptoms usually didn’t show up early, the disease was often mistaken for a lesser serious health problem. It was never too early to protect yourself against it. Women needed to be more educated and alert about cervical cancer and should go for regular screening, and vaccination.