Tema-Ghana, July 20, GNA – Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in women in Ghana after breast cancer, Dr. Mrs. Anita Owusu-Afriyie, a Medical Officer at the Oncology Department at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH) in Tema, has disclosed.
She, therefore, appealed to women to regularly undertake cervical cancer screening “as early diagnosis would help save a life. Men should encourage their partners, wives, sisters, mothers, and friends to go for screening”.
The IMaH Medical Officer explained that long-lasting infection with certain types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer.
She stressed that HPV is a common virus that is passed from one person to another during sex, adding that at least half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives, but few women will get cervical cancer.
Dr. Mrs. Owusu-Afriyie also advised women who intend to go for cervical cancer screening not to do it during menstruation, as the menstrual blood can affect the analysis.
She encouraged women who encounter any bleeding after sex or after menstrual periods that is abnormal to seek medical attention.
However, when one is undergoing treatment for cervical cancer, one should abstain from sexual intercourse or avoid unprotected sex because the treatment is done to kill the cancer cells in the cervix.
Dr. Mrs. Owusu-Afriyie urged all females from age 21 and above to go for screening, stressing that about 2,797 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer yearly in Ghana, out of whom 1,699 die from the disease.
The data indicated that 233 women are diagnosed every month with cervical cancer, out of whom 142 die monthly, breaking down to 58 being diagnosed weekly and as many as 35 also dying weekly.
