健康英语新闻:South Africans at high risk of cervical cancer

JOHANNESBURG, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Cervical cancer ranks as the second most frequent cancer among women in South Africa.

Recent information from a World Health Organization (WHO) and ICO Information Center on Human Papilloma virus (HPV) and Cervical Cancer 2010 report shows that 16.84 million South African women aged 15 years and older are at risk of developing cervical cancer.

Current estimates indicate that every year 5,743 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and more than 3,000 die from the disease.

About 21 percent of women in the general South African population are estimated to harbor cervical HPV infection at any given time, and 62.8 percent of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to HPV subtypes 16 or 18.

"Concern is growing as there appears to be an increasing epidemic of papillomavirus-induced disease involving not only the cervix but elsewhere in the female genital tract and anogenital region," said Professor Martin Hale, head of the Department of Anatomical Pathology at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg and the National Health Laboratory Service.

The South African population and people from Africa in general have high incidences of the HPV subtypes 16 or 18 according to Professor Hale. He is not entirely sure why but is of the opinion that the infection rate can be lowered.

"The common theory is that HPV is transmitted through sexual intercourse. If treated like a sexual disease and the necessary precautions are taken during sex the infection rate can be lowered, " Hale told Xinhua in an interview on Wednesday.

HPV is also exacerbated as a result of the HIV pandemic and cause a rapid progression of premalignant dysplasia to invasive cancer in HIV positive patients.

Hale believes the limited access to information and resources make it easy for the condition to thrive.

However, according to Hale, a debate is still raging on how, to whom and whether the vaccine should be administered.

Black women are at higher risk of contracting HPV and subsequent cervical cancer. Other risk factors that increase susceptibility include age of first intercourse, the number of children per woman, and a weakened immune system, to name a few.

"To avoid getting cervical cancer get the vaccine against HPV 16 and 18 infection before starting to be sexually active, have protected sex and go for regular screenings," he told Xinhua.