UAE- Check for cervical cancer every 3 years

Date

1/13/2016 3:36:35 AM

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

A University Hospital Sharjah (UHS) doctor is advising that all married women should be screened every three years to prevent cervical cancer.

According to Dr Anaam Majeed UHS Senior Consultant for Obstetrics and Gynaecology cervical cancer is one of the UAE's leading causes of death following breast cancer and is entirely preventable.

She also noted that many women are unfortunately unaware that their lives can be saved by taking the simple step of having a doctor administer a pap smear and be screened periodically.

To combat the scourge UHS has expanded its departments and added new clinics to meet the growing demand from patients in Sharjah and across the UAE.

According to doctors most cervical cancers are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) and are spread through intercourse. Medical professionals fear that deaths due to cervical cancer - which is the third leading cause of death worldwide - might increase to 350000 globally within the next three years. International protocol calls for women between the ages of 24 and 64 to be screened.

"Since girls are getting married young in UAE it should be started earlier for this age group" Dr. Majeed said.

Dr Majeed said that the survival rate for cervical cancer is 40 per cent in the first five years but drops down to 10 percent if discovered later on.

"Screening is available at all hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) but the problem is often that doctors do not offer the screening and make women aware of the benefits" she added.

The UAE has introduced a vaccine against the virus into the country's healthcare system which doctors recommend by taken by girls between nine and 26 years of age. The vaccine is free of cost for UAE nationals and residents.

The vaccine is also now administered globally to males who can also transmit the virus. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that boys also take the virus as it can also help prevent anal cancer and genital warts. The most common strains of HPV (HPV 16 and 18) cause 21000 cases of cancer per year in America of which one third are in men.

Dr. Majeed added that she hopes to start an outreach programme in which UHS staff conduct schools and social organizations to raise awareness of the potentially fatal disease and the vaccines.

"The screening takes barely two to three seconds" said the doctor.

Cervical cancer has no symptoms in its early stages but later on can cause pelvic pains and abnormal vaginal bleeding.

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