Why no woman should die from Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women in Nigeria and the fourth most common cancer among women globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Current estimates for Nigeria in 2023 by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Center indicate that every year 12,075 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 7,968 die from the disease in the country.
About 3.5 percent of women in the general population are estimated to harbor cervical HPV-16/18 infection at any given time, and 66.9 percent of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to HPV 16 or 18.
However, with proven interventions to prevent and manage the disease, experts say that no woman is expected to lose her life to cervical cancer.
Prof. Isaac Adewole, a former Minister of Health in Nigeria and Co-Founder of the African Cancer Coalition, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that cervical cancer had become a public health issue.
Nevertheless, Adewole, a professor at the University of Ibadan and Northwestern University, said the disease, which was caused almost entirely by a virus, could be tackled.
He said cervical cancer was preventable and treatable if presented and diagnosed early.
He said part of the strategies to eliminate cervical cancer included the vaccination of about 90 percent of girls between ages nine and 14 with the HPV vaccine to prevent them from having the cancer.
According to him, it takes about an average of 20 to 30 years for cervical cancer to develop, and the HPV vaccination offers a window of opportunity to kick against the cancer.
He said screening no fewer than 70 percent of women using a high-performance test by the age of 35 and again by the age of 45 was also a strategy to save women from cervical cancer.
“When we screen women who are asymptomatic, we have no complaints at all.
“When we screen them, we’ll be able to determine and diagnose stages that occur before the development of cancer. We call these stages pre-malignant stages.
“We are able to detect them, and when we offer appropriate treatment, they will be cured,” said Adewole.
A third way of addressing the cervical cancer menace, according to Adewole, is prompt and appropriate treatment when detected early.
“Even those who develop cervical cancer, when we pick them up in the early stages, we can almost uniformly cure them.
“Treatment of women with early presentations as well as invasive cancer management helps.
“When you look at the three factors of prevention, screening, which is secondary prevention, and treatments in the early stages, we have a disease on our hands that, applying public health principles, we can control,” explained the professor.
Adewole advocated the allocation of resources for cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and management.
“Cervical cancer disease is common in areas that are not developed or areas where they have not allocated appropriate resources and attention to this disease.
“It is a disease of underdevelopment.
“And where you have well-developed infrastructure, where you have appropriate policies that are well-resourced, and where you have leadership showing interest in this disease, we collectively can eliminate cervical cancer.
“And this has been amply demonstrated through projections scientifically showing that if you do this, then cervical cancer can become something of history,” said Adewole.
According to him, the challenge in Nigeria, just like in Africa and many developing countries, is that a lot of people are largely unaware of the situation with cervical cancer.
Therefore, he said, when cases were presented to the hospitals, they were largely in an advanced stage for quite a number of reasons.
The former health minister also noted that the non-availability and affordability of vaccines hindered efforts in the drive to eliminate cervical cancer in Nigeria.
“It is very expensive if you go to the shelf to buy it, and then, globally, the developed countries have ‘cornered’ the vaccine for their people because they recognize the value of the vaccine.
“So, we are left at the mercy of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI),(GAVI), and multilateral donors to fund us.
“The prices are coming down gradually,gradually, but theythey areare still out of reach for most groups.
“But there is awindow or door of opportunityfor many as countries that were previously giving two or three shots can now give one,one, and that will free some of the supplies,” continued Adewole.
He said by adopting, introducing and implementing the Global Elimination Agenda for Cervical Cancer Control https://www.cervicalcancerdeclaration.org/, eliminating cervical cancer as a public health issue would be realised.
“Hence, we call for urgent action to make cervical cancer elimination a global priority, with high-level commitment and resources to make it a reality.
“No woman should lose her life to cervical cancer when we have the tools to prevent it it and, especially when diagnosed early, to treat it,” he said.
HPV is mainly transmitted through sexual contact,contact, and most people are infected with HPV shortly after the onset of sexual activity.
Twelve leading health experts from around the world have initiated a call to action in the fight against cervical cancer through thethe Global Declaration to Eliminate Cervical Cancer.
The Declaration was formally launched at the World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 22, with signatures from more than 1,200 global health leaders and advocates representing no fewer than 100 countries.
Top among them werewere former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, CEO of Amref Health Africa, Githinji Gitahi,, President of the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO), Jeanne Conry, and President-elect of the International Pediatric Association, Naveen Thacker.
Adewole and Prof.Margaret Stanley of Cambridge University, UK,UK, and Past President of the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS), are among the experts championing the declaration.
Stanley told NAN that it was worrisome that 90 percent percent of women with cervical cancer lived in low and middle--income countries.
According to her, in high--income countrieslike the like the U.S.,UK, and UK, and Europe, there are highly organizedorganized medical services thatthat women can access easily.
She addedthat the that the same services should be replicated in low--income countries like Nigeria.
Stanley also agreed that no woman should die from cervical cancer,cancer, as eliminating the disease was achievable with urgent action in three areas:: vaccination, screening,screening, and treatment.
“Vaccinating girls aged nine to 14 against HPV is the primary way to prevent cervical cancer.
“HPV vaccines are safe, effective, and can prevent up to 90 percentpercent of cervical cancer cases.
“Cervical cancer can also be prevented through screening and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions,” said Stanley.
She also recommended the ‘new’ one-dose HPV vaccination regime as part of routine programsprograms for girls.
The British virologist and epithelial biologist also calledfor the for the provision of X- X-rays for screening for cervical cancer while advocating increased access to adequate health facilities and trained health personnel.
According to experts, tools are available to eliminate cervical cancer,cancer, and everything must be engaged collectively to eliminate the disease and save women from losing their lives to cervical cancer.
By Vivian Ihechu
