Cancer refers to a group of more than 100 distinct uncontrolled diseases characterised by the abnormal growth of cells in the body. Cancer is a major cause of sickness and death around the world. Significant improvements have been made since the middle of the 20th century, mainly through a combination of timely and accurate diagnosis, selective surgery, radiation, therapy, and chemotherapeutic. drugs. (Naumou, 2007)
Cancer screening or the detection of cancer at an early enough stage for the effective treatment is a complex set of behaviours that involves scientific reasoning, implementation of societal values, economies, medical policy making, education and individual choice. The act of screening may potentially change the patients’ status from being healthy to being ill. Cancer screening saves lives, yet the value of screening is not universally understood nor do all groups in different populations have access. Unequal access maybe partially responsible for higher cancer morbidity and mortality rates, and reduced screening rates are often associated with cancer being at the late stages at diagnosis. However, screening tests can be invasive, painful, and embarrassing.
The American Cancer Society has set forth recommendations for early detections. These include regular screening for breast, colon, prostrate, cervix and endometrial cancers.
There are many cancers that affect people in the world, and they usually require different types of treatment. However, cervical cancer would be the main focus of this study. Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina). It is usually a growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular pap tests. The human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted disease, is the primary cause of cervical cancer. Specially, two types, 16 and 18 account for 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases though regional cases exist. (Dr. Chirenje, 2008) Although the HPV is sexually transmitted, it doesn’t however mean that women who have never had sexual intercourse are exempted from the disease.
Cervical cancer starts as a precancerous condition called Dysplasia (abnormal changes in the cells of the surface of the cervix that can only be seen underneath a microscope). This precancerous condition can be detected by a pap test and is 100% treatable.
The Pap smear test is an essential process for the prevention of cervical cancer. A woman must have her first pap smear test as soon as she becomes sexually active, regardless of her age. The U.S Guide to Chronic Prevention Services recommends that a pap smear should be done every 3 years till at least age 65. Pap smear is a form of cancer control.
Cancer control can be described as the totality of activities and interventions that are intended to reduce the burden of cancer in a population either by reducing cancer incidence or mortality or alleviating the suffering of the people with the disease through prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, psychosocial support, and palliative care. A major hindrance of cancer control is the low level of illiteracy rates and the low level of awareness.
Risk factors for cervical cancer include modifiable and non-modifiable factors. Modifiable factors include factors such as tobacco, unhealthy diet, infectious agents like HPV, ultra violet radiation, physical inability, occupational exposure, food contaminants. Non-modifiable factors include ageing, ethnicity, sex, immunosuppression, and reproductive factors.
Although, most of the time, cervical cancer has no symptoms, there are however a few abnormalities that could serve as symptoms. These include abnormal bleeding, between periods, after intercourse, or after menopause. Continuous vaginal discharge and this could be pale, watery, pink, brown or foul smelling. Menstrual Periods also become heavier and last longer than usual.
Cervical cancer may spread to the bladder, liver, intestines, and lungs. Patients with cervical cancer do not experience problems until the cancer is advanced and as spread. Symptoms of advanced cancer may include back pain, bone fracture or pain, fatigue, leaking of urine or faeces from the vagina, leg pain, swollen leg and weight loss.
According to the American Cancer Society (2006), 1.9 Million people (i.e. 17.8%) of the causes of cancer worldwide were caused by infections and about 1.4 Million (i.e. 73.7%) of these occur in developing countries. There were estimates 11 Million new cancer diagnosis and 7 Million cancer deaths through the world in 2002.
Nigeria as a population of about 40.43 Million women ages 15 and older who are at the risk of developing cervical cancer. Current estimates indicate that every year 14550 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 9659 die from the disease. Cervical cancer ranks the second most frequent cancer amount women between 15 and 44 years.
In sub-Saharan Africa, cervical cancer accounts for 22.2% of all cancers in women and it is also the common cause of death among women. (Ntekim, 2012) About 60-75% of women in sub-Saharan Africa who develop cervical cancer live in rural areas. A mortality rate of 35 per 100,000 is reported in Eastern Africa. (Chokunonga et ol. 2002).
In the UK, the estimated cases amount to 2,938 while deaths were 957. (Cervical Cancer Institute, 2008).
Shockingly, less than 0.1% of Nigerian women have ever had the screening in their lifetime. Just as less than 1% of them are said to be aware of the existence as a silent killer. By the time 80% of women in Nigeria discover they have had the disease, it has reached the advanced stage and cannot be treated successfully. (Daily Champion, 2011)