Circumcised men may halt women’s cancer

Snip means less likelihood of virus that hides in cervix

MALE circumcision may lower the risk of cervical cancer in women. This is indicated by trials in South Africa and Uganda which showed a lower prevalence of high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) in circumcised men and their female partners. HPV causes cervical cancer. However vaccinations currently under way in primary schools across the country are targeted at girls in Grade 4.

The vaccine, Cervarix, currently used by the South African state, is only indicated for girls and earlier this year the health department indicated they were researching a suitable drug for boys.

The state HPV innoculation campaign takes place in February-March and August-September each year. The Eastern Cape had the highest coverage in the country last year, with 64 942 pupils vaccinated in the first dose and 58 112 in the second.

Explaining HPV earlier this year Dr Sibongile Mandondo, an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist in the provincial health department, said: “HPV is a DNA virus. To put it simply, this is similar to a cold sore – you never really know where or when you contracted it, but once you have it, it never goes away – whenever you are stressed it can come out. The same is true for HPV – it is sexually transmitted, but there does not have to be penetration, it is any form of sexual contact.

“The virus hides in the cervix cells. If you’ve never had sexual contact, you’ll never have HPV.

“It causes the cells in the cervix to look different and sometimes it manifests in genital warts.

“Once in the cervix it can be detected through a pap smear.”

She further said the vaccination is for children between the ages of nine and 12 because at that time their immune systems are more mature and a lifelong effect of the vaccine can be ensured, and at that age the child is less likely to have had sexual contact.

Cervical cancer is the number one cancer killing South African women aged between 15 and 44.

Rachael Rawlinson, the prevention programmes manager at CareWorks, a HIV-management organisation, said the trial findings give additional weight to programmes that promote circumcision for HIV prevention, particularly in districts that do not have proper cervical screening programmes in place.

“Even though cervical screening is currently available in South Africa and has been for some time, national screening coverage is low, particularly in rural areas.

“Despite the National Department of Health’s introduction of a national screening policy and vaccination campaigns, cervical cancer remains the second most common female cancer and the leading cause of female cancer deaths in South Africa,” she said.

HPV causes almost 100% of cervical cancers.

“Medical male circumcision, correct and consistent condom use, cervical screening and HPV vaccines being made available to all women are vital interventions that are likely to have a dramatic impact on cervical cancer rates in our country.

“All women should encourage their male partners to undergo circumcision as it not only reduces a woman’s risk of contracting HPV and cervical cancer, but also reduces the risk of genital warts and other common sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

“It reduces a man’s risk of contracting HIV by up to 60%, and lowers his risk of penile cancer,” said Rawlinson. —