Cervical Cancer: What Is India's Need Of The Hour?
HPV (human papillomavirus) is a group of more than 200 related viruses, some of which are transmitted through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Types of sexually transmitted HPV are divided into two groups, low risk and high risk. It is one of the lead cause of cervical cancer worldwide. As per World Health Organisation, 95 per cent of cervical cancer occur due to HPV.
Rita Bhalla from Indian Cancer Society said, "Persistent HPV infection is the root cause of most cervical cancers. Most women immune system is so strong that she can fight the infection spontaneously, but in a few section of women, infection would persist and can cause pre-cancerous changes in her." She informed that HPV 16 and 18 are found to be most associated with cervical cancer. Therefore it is the fourth most frequent cancer in women, and has six lakh cases every year with three and a half lakh deaths.
The reason why most women are left untreated is ignorance said Bhalla adding that women do not pay attention to the signs and symptoms of the cancer, also have no idea about pap smear tests. In India over 80 per cent of the cervical infections and 63 per cent of high grade malignant tumors are attached to HPV 16 and 18. India's contribution to cervical cancer is to 25 per cent and mortality is more than 26 per cent due to poor healthcare facilities and treatment in the rural areas especially.
Talking about the global strategy, Bhalla said that a single dose of HPV vaccine effectively prevents cervical cancer in women. "Single dose would logistically make it much easier and less expensive to administer. The infrastructure needed to administer multiple doses, it also includes tracking when each person received the first dose."
She further said that Vaccination, Screening, and Treatment are the three pillars to get prevented from the cervical cancer.
Aruna Ummat, volunteer and Director, Indian Cancer Society talked about the social aspect of cervical cancer. "No organised screening program, lack of awareness, lack of prevention and treatment are the high risk factors of cervical cancer." She said that building of toilets under government's Swacch Bharat Abhiyan is a welcomed move as one of the reasons for this disease is also absence of toilets and poor sanitation.
Ummat also mentioned the misconceptions about the disease. She said that it is not necessary to have HPV infection due to a genetic condition or having multiple sex partners. Anyone who is sexually active is prone to have hpv infection.
"Visual Infection Test and VILI are two tests are very cheap and suited for low income group countries with large population. Little infrastructure is required to carry out these tests, so Asha workers are also trained to do the tests in rural areas," she said.
Both the speakers agreed to the point that in a developing country like India, cervical cancer due to HPV infection is the outcome of lack of awareness and social stigma. Hence, they said that early vaccination and screening can help treating the disease.
