Residents with any information have been urged to contact the concerned authority
Speaking to reporters at the launch of the Cervical Cancer Awareness Wave on Monday, Dr Jalaa Assad Taher, Head of Cancer Control and Prevention at the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD), noted the current trends of cervical cancer in the country.
“From 48 reported cases in 2008, this increased to 74 in 2010 and is projected to increase to 105 by 2020 and 176 by 2030,” she said, citing the World Health Organisation statistics.
In the UAE, the rate of cervical cancer infection is 7.4 per 100,000 women affecting those between the ages of 35-55 years. If diagnosed and treated early, curable rate is more than 92 per cent.
In 2011, 61 cases were newly diagnosed in Abu Dhabi, with UAE nationals accounting for 30 per cent of the cases. Median age at diagnosis is 44 years. Cervical cancer is the second leading cancer in women and seventh cause of deaths in the emirate.
“It’s a shame that there are still cases of cervical cancer when this could have been prevented. This is the only cancer where we know the cause,” said Dr Taher.
Over 99 per cent of cervical cancer cases are linked to genital infection with Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract.
There are over a 100 types of HPV but only 15 can cause cervical cancer especially HPV types 16 and 18. HPV is very common in women below the age of 25 who are sexually active.
HPV is very difficult to detect as there is no significant symptom before infection and at early cancer stage. The only way to detect HPV infection is through Papsmear, which shows changes in the cells of the cervix.
“It takes between 10-15 years before this turns into cancer,” Dr Taher said, noting some factors that reduces a woman’s immunity against the infection such as smoking, use of birth control pills (five years or more), multiple pregnancies, young age of pregnancy (below 17 years) and sexually transmitted diseases.
Vaccination is the primary protection against HPV infection and the authority recommends for females between ages 15–26 years to take the vaccine some years before marriage. HPV vaccine should be taken in three doses and this gives long-term protection for over 15–20 years.
HPV jabs (Quadrivalent HPV) are currently being given as an option to all female students in Grade 11 (ages 15–17) in all schools across the emirate, but some parents opt out due to some “misconception”.
Dr Taher cited rumours, wrong information from their doctors, the media, association with sexually transmitted diseases and fear of giving “permission” for their daughters to be sexually active, as key reasons.
The HPV vaccines only prevent infection by 70–80 per cent, but Dr Khalid Al Jabri, Director of Non-Communicable Diseases at the HAAD, said this is a better chance of protecting young females rather than nothing.
“If there is a one per cent chance to prevent cancer, I will give it to my daughter,” he stressed.
The Cervical Cancer Awareness Programme is the second part of the six-month Cancer Wave Health Promotion Project, which started in October by the HAAD, focusing on three major cancer diseases — breast, cervix and colon.
As part of the campaign, select hospitals and clinics will be offering 50 per cent discount on Papsmear and HPV vaccination till March. Call 800555 to inquire.
The five-year cervical cancer screening programme also targets Emirati females in universities (18–26 years) who were not previously vaccinated.
The HAAD also targets to screen 70 per cent of the UAE national population, reduce incidence rate of cervical cancer by 60 per cent from the current rate and decrease mortality rate by 20 per cent.
Residents with any information have been urged to contact the concerned authority
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