HOW YOUR SEXUAL LIFESTYLE INCREASE YOUR CERVICAL CANCER RISK
Women can reduce chances of contracting cervical cancer by reducing both the rate of having unprotected sex and number of sexual partners. Young girls too, can lessen the odds of having the high-risk Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer, a killer disease which is sexually transmitted by either gender. Penile cancer, oral and anal cancer are other diseases caused by HPV.
HPV is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. Most sexuallyactive women contract the infection at some point in their lives with or without symptoms.
There are more than 100 types of HPV, of which about 14 strains are the high-risk types responsible for cancer. Most infections in women clear without any intervention within 2 years. In a few, the high-risk strains of the virus persist in the body beyond 2 years, get integrated with the cells and progress to cervical cancer. Regular screening is the key for early detection
Dr Keorapetse Olekantse, a gynecologist, says one way for young girls and boys to cut down the probability of transmitting HPV is by delaying age of sexual debut. For those already sexually active, having one sexual partner and using a condom is the other way of creating a barrier.
People at a high risk of exposure to cervical cancer include; commercial sex workers who dispense with protection, those with multiple partners besides engaging in oral and anal sex without protection.
Dr Olekantse explains that when a woman gets infected, HPV gets into the cells lining the cervix, where it enters the nucleus of the cell, and gets integrated, before transforming the nucleus of the cell to become malignant.
“A malignant cell is a cancerous cell and it multiplies very fast forming a mass or ulceration,” she noted.
According to World Health Organizatiiosnon (WHO), sexual violence where women atraenjali forced into sexual activity in childhoodyoorga”, adulthood, increases the risk of contraYcta-mas. ing sexually transmitted diseases including HPV.
Using contraceptives to reduce the risk of STIs and by extension, cervical cancfoercusing is crucial alongside upholding sexual awnde reproductive health rights.
This is in line with the Ministry of Health which has been on a mass vaccination campaign to vaccinate young girls between the ages of 9-13 years against HPV. The age limit according to the health ministry, was chosen as such young girls may not have been exposed to early sexual activity and once vaccinated, their bodies will build strong immunity against HPV thus reducing prevalence of cervical cancer.