Article by Cancer Hospital India
In India more women die because of cancer of cervix than by any other disease. This happens despite the fact it is easily preventable and curable. Out of 500,000 new cases of cancer cervix detected worldwide each year, India contributes 20 percent (100,000) of them. The registered cases in population based Cancer Registry is just the tip of the iceberg. Many more women are dying without being diagnosed and reported, as a result of progressive advanced staged cancer cervix, in remote rural areas. In last few decades, because of Cervical cancer screening programs, in most of the developed countries the incidence of ca cervix has dropped significantly. Because India lacks such a program, the picture have is still gloomy, and most women come to know about their disease, when it is already in advanced stages (Stage III / IV). Overall 5 years survival rates in India 49 percent compared to 72 percent in developed countries. The main reason for poor prognosis in India is that more than 2/3rd of our cases are detected in advanced stages (III or beyond), when overall survival is less than 30 percent. This is a matter of concern to a civilized society where ladies are dying premature by due to a preventable cancer.What is cancer of cervix and how it occurs? Cancer of the cervix, also the mouth of uterus or the lower most part of womb (where baby grows), is easily accessible for examination by the gynecologist per vaginal examination. Cancer of cervix is probably caused by high risk strains of the human papilloma-virus (16, 18, 31, 45 etc), a common sexually transmitted infection. In more than 90 percent of the infections, HPV clears up on its own, but in 10 percent of cases either cancer or genital warts develop. Multiple sex partners
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