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Momodou
Denmark
11803 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Apr 2010 : 21:43:20
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Gambian Women Risk Developing Cancer
By Lamin Njie
National statistics have shown that The Gambia has a population of 443,000 women ages 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. According to the statistics current estimates indicate that every year 157 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 124 die from the disease.
It further revealed that cervical cancer ranks the most frequent cancer among women in The Gambia, and the most frequent cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age. About 11.5 percent of women in the general population are estimated to harbour cervical HPV infection at a given time.
Worldwide, mortality rates of cervical cancer are substantially lower than incidences with a ratio of mortality to incidence of 55 percent. The majority of cases are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinomas are less common.
Challenges. Statistics reveal that delay in seeking care, inadequate cancer drugs, expensive and inadequate human resources are some of the challenges.
The way forward. Participation of community leaders, continuous sensitization of the general public and provision of cancer drugs.
Projected number of new cervical cancer cases in 2025 is estimated at 287, while the projected number of deaths from the disease in 2025 is 227.
It further reveals that cancer of the cervix uteri is the second most common cancer among women worldwide, with an estimated 493,000 new cases and 274,000 deaths in 2002. About 83 percent of the cases occurring in developing countries, representing 15 percent of female cancer.
Source: Dailynews
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2010 : 00:41:33
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Are women in Gambia Screened routinely for Cervical cancer? In uk we have routine smear tests.
It seems to be that if we can delay the age women start to have sex, encourage them to have protected sex and to have limited partners that all helps with the fight against cervical cancer. |
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sab
United Kingdom
912 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2010 : 14:34:26
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It is commendable to see the Daily News bring about news items of this nature - although only a small number will read the article, it still amounts to awareness & knowledge.
The HPV ( It is sometimes called the ‘wart virus’ or ‘genital wart virus’ that can lead to cancer ) vaccination programme started in UK schools two years ago - like all vaccinations there is controversy, one of which is;
How Britain went for the £18m cheaper option
http://www.jabs.org.uk/
The HPV vaccination programme In the UK, girls in year 8 at school (aged 12 to 13) are offered the HPV vaccine.
The vaccine the Government has chosen to use is Cervarix. Girls have three injections over 6 months given by a nurse.
A 2 year 'catch up' programme also started in Autumn 2008, to vaccinate girls aged between 13 and 18.
This research means that if girls take up the vaccination the programme will prevent at least 7 out of 10 cancers of the cervix and possibly even more in the future. But it takes between 10 and 20 years for a cancer to develop after HPV infection. So any benefits in reducing cervical cancer won’t be seen for quite a long time. But the number of cases of pre-cancerous changes in the cervix (CIN) will fall quite rapidly. It is not certain how long the vaccination gives protection for. So far the trials have followed people up for 6 years so we know that it lasts at least this long. It is expected that the vaccines should last for life but more research is needed to find out if this is the case. It may be that women will need a booster dose at some time.
Easy & good info site:
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/about-cancer/cancer-questions/cervical-cancer-vaccine
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The world would be a poorer place if it was peopled by children whose parents risked nothing in the cause of social justice, for fear of personal loss. (Joe Slovo - African revolutionary) |
Edited by - sab on 17 Apr 2010 19:22:32 |
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