Cervical cancer - a viral infection

Many people think that cancer has nothing to do with infectious disease; That's not true for cervical cancer. Genital warts - HPV - can lead to this disease. Therefore, unprotected sex means the transmission of cancer risk to others.

"There are many causes of cancer, but virus infection is one of them; for example, H. pylori virus can lead to stomach cancer, and HPV virus leads to cervical cancer" - Dr. Nguyen Ba Germany, Director of Central K Hospital, said. He said cervical cancer is one of the two types of cancer that Vietnamese women are most affected by; in which up to 70-80% of cases are caused by HPV virus.

HPV virus attacks the body.
(Photo: Sciencemuseum)

HPV - Human papilloma virus - is a virus that causes warts, warts and genital warts (warts) in the skin, penis, vagina, anus ., leading to benign dermatitis, or myositis. Genitalia leads to infertility. In more than 100 HPV strains, there are 13 strains leading to cancer.

The process of progressing from viral infection to cancer is usually long-term, from mild, moderate, severe dysplasia to local cancer (the stage of recovery can be completely restored and cured) to invasive cancer (no resilience). Not everyone infected with "toxic" HPV strains also has cervical cancer. This disease usually occurs when there are additional risk factors such as premature sex, multiple partners, poor hygiene, immunodeficiency, birth, abortion or repeated miscarriages . These injuries create HPV conditions are more accessible to cervical basal cells, which are located deep below. After invasion, HPV causes these cells to mutate. Over the years, cells become malignant.

According to an investigation by the International Agency for Cancer Research, the rate of HPV infection among women worldwide ranges from 9-13%, meaning that one in 10 women is infected with HPV . The virus is mainly transmitted through the skin and sex. Thus, when performing unsafe sex, the person carrying the virus transmits the risk of cancer to others.

In Vietnam, if only cervical cancer is counted, the number of deaths due to HPV is much higher than HIV. In the last 10 years, about 6,000 women died of cervical cancer, twice the number of women dying of AIDS; Although different from HIV, HPV, even cancer, can be completely cured if detected early. However, in Vietnam, most patients with cervical cancer are only detected at the end stage, several years before their death.

Dr. Nguyen Ba Duc said, when cancer is not invasive, the patient has almost no clinical signs, can produce more gas than normal, gynecological examination also does not hurt. However, if a woman regularly receives periodic gynecological exams and tests for cells (recommended for all women who have sex), the disease will be detected. At this time, the healing ability is 95%.

When the cancer has invaded, new symptoms are obvious, such as the bad smell of bad smell, bleeding between the menstrual period, after menopause or after intercourse . In the final stage, the patient may have abdominal pain, Back pain, 5-year survival rate is only about 5%.

According to Dr. Duc, due to the main cause of the virus, cervical cancer can be prevented by vaccines, which have been used in many countries with about 70% efficiency. Dr. Nguyen Tran Hien, Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology said that the vaccine is expected to be tested in Vietnam later on some women aged 9-26. In addition to cancer, this vaccine also helps to avoid other injuries caused by HPV viruses such as warts, warts .

However, experts recommend that the use of vaccines cannot replace other preventive measures such as body hygiene and sexual hygiene, periodical gynecological examination. Women who have had regular sexual intercourse should have a vaginal smear every year or at least every 3 years, especially for people over 35 years old. For women with high risk factors (HPV infection, multiple partners, early sex, abortion, childbirth or multiple miscarriages .), testing is required every year.

Hai Ha