MP’s cervical cancer diagnosis a wake-up call
Iwas very sad to hear the news that cabinet minister and East Coast MP Kiri Allan has been diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer. As Minister for Emergency Management, she calmly dealt with the aftermath of the recent earthquakes off the East Cape and the Kermadec Islands. That same day she’d also had an ultrasound and biopsy after experiencing months of back, stomach, and leg pain and a period that was lasting weeks rather than days. Those are all potential signs of cervical cancer.
The most important risk factor for cervical cancer is persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV spreads through sexual intercourse and skin-to-skin contact. That also includes hand to genital contact, oral sex, and to babies during childbirth.
HPV is common. About eight out of 10 adults will have had an HPV infection at some point in their life. Some may get genital warts, but many will never even know. While most infections resolve within a couple of years, a small number of people become chronically infected, and for some it can lead to cancer. The good news is that a vaccine protects against the main HPV types that cause cancer. In Aotearoa, it’s free for everyone aged 9 to 26. As it’s best to be vaccinated before becoming sexually active, all children in Year 8 are offered the vaccine through their school, family doctor, or local health centre. You can also be vaccinated at Family Planning clinics. I encourage everyone under the age of 45 to get the HPV vaccine.
In Aotearoa, about 160 people develop cervical cancer each year and 50 die from it. At present, screening for cervical cancer is by regular smear tests which look for the presence of abnormal cells. A speculum is used to open the vagina and then a soft brush is inserted to remove a sample of cells from the surface of the cervix. Smear tests are not pleasant if done in a rush and can be traumatic for those who have experienced sexual assault.
Yet there is a much better way to screen for cervical cancer and that is to test for the presence of the HPV virus instead. While swabs can be taken by health practitioners just like smears, the game-changer is that they can also be taken by people at home.
It’s a disgrace that the Government hasn’t supported the rollout of HPV self-testing. Until it does, please, if you are a woman, trans, or non-binary person with a cervix, are aged between 25 and 69, and have ever been sexually active (and that includes non-penetrative sex) get someone to support you and go and have a smear test done. It may just save your life.
It’s a disgrace that the Government hasn’t supported the roll-out of HPV selftesting.