Cervical cancer: Experts recommend HPV vaccine

A Senior Registrar and Gynaecologist at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Bida, Dr. SamboAbdulrasq has said that cervical cancer can be prevented through the use of Human Papillomavirus vaccines 16 and 18, Gardasil and Gardasil 9. He said the vaccines especially HPV 16 and 18 help gain significant protection against infection in three parts of […]

A Senior Registrar and Gynaecologist at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Bida, Dr. SamboAbdulrasq has said that cervical cancer can be prevented through the use of Human Papillomavirus vaccines 16 and 18, Gardasil and Gardasil 9.
He said the vaccines especially HPV 16 and 18 help gain significant protection against infection in three parts of the body particularly among women without evidence of the virus.
He advised that the vaccine should be ideally given to girls and boys at age 11 to 12, the vaccine is best given at a young age, before sexual activity begins and before the exposure to HPV.
He noted that the vaccines are not a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) cure but they have been shown to provide protection for five years, adding that the HPV vaccination does not mean women can skip their pap tests, and neither does it protect against all the type of Human Papillomavirus that cause cervical cancer.
Dr. Sambo said that women with early stage of cervical cancer benefit from surgery. Other treatments for cervical cancer include radiation therapy and chemotherapy or the combination of the two.
He said the victims could survive the cervical cancer if managed at early stage and urged the federal government to play a greater role in carrying out campaigns about the disease.
Medical Doctor undergoing houseman ship training in the Federal Medical Centre, Dr. Jimoh Umar  said that, the diagnosis of cervical cancer is through a biopsy.
Adeyemi, Federal polytechnic, Bida