An Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Consultant, Dr. Olaleye Olalekan, has warned women against unprotected séx and multiple séxual partners, saying it causes Human Papilloma Virus, which always leads to cervical cancer..
Speaking
at a health awareness seminar on the theme, “Prevention and Early
Detection of Cervical Cancer,” organised by Lagoon Hospitals in Lagos on
Friday, Olaleye said the disease is séxually transmitted and peculiar to women.
According to him, abnormal menstrual bleeding, bleeding during séxual contact or after menopause remain the symptoms of cervical cancer over the years.
“Human
Papilloma Virus, which is responsible for cervical cancer, genital
warts and vaginal, vulvar, anal and penile cancers is the most common séxually transmitted disease, infecting about 80 per cent of young women within five years of becoming séxually active. An estimated 630 million women worldwide are infected.
“This virus is spread during séx from contact with the sores, or lesions, that develop around infected cells.
“Often,
the virus is killed by the immune system, but in some people HPV can
take hold and cause lesions that can turn cancerous years later,” he
noted.
Olaleye,
however, urged women observing symptoms of HPV to seek medical
attention early to avoid complications. He added, “HPV vaccines are
always recommended in pre-pubertal girls.
“Also
surgery and radiotherapy are other remedies that are suitable for
cervical cancer if the victim seeks medical rescue as early as
possible.”
Earlier,
the Managing Director, Lagoon Hospitals, Ikeja, Dr. Olajide Ojo, stated
that the hospital decided to intervene and educate the public on
salient health issues due to increasing late presentation of terminal
diseases.
Ojo
admonished Nigerians to prioritise their health and not allow the cost
of medi-care to discourage them from seeking quality care.
“In
this country, screening services are readily available and accessible.
So, why should our women continue to die of cervical cancer,” he added.
Also
speaking on Prostate Cancer, a consultant urologist, Dr. Andrew Mene,
said the disease only affect men above 50 years of age but some cases
have been recorded in younger men.
Mene
noted that though smoking increases the risk of developing the disease,
the cause of prostate cancer has not been established.
He noted that prostate cancer is yet to be linked with séxually-
transmitted disease. “Most prostate cancer cases are growing slowly.
The symptoms include blood in the urine, seizure in urine flow, loss of
appetite, weight loss and bone pains.
“Patients with these symptoms must visit medical experts or a hospital on time for either surgery or radiotherapy,” he added.
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