Tema, June 14, GNA - Research has shown that Cervical Cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women worldwide, and accounting for about 10 per cent of all cancers. Dr Mrs Lynda Decker, Medical Director of Franklyn Medical Services who made this known at a health talk in Tema, said every two minutes, a woman dies of Cervical Cancer worldwide. The forum was organized by the Tema District branch of the Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church, for members to commemorate Women's Emphasis Day of the Church at the weekend. Dr Decker who is a General Medical Practitioner, said every woman was at risk in contracting the disease, irrespective of one's age. She explained that Cervical Cancer develops in the Cervix, which is the low, narrow neck of the uterus that opens into the vagina. The Cervix, she said, is of vital importance because it protects the uterus, by preventing infections from reaching it. Dr Decker said the Cervix also plays a major role in pregnancy and birth, because it lengthens during pregnancy, serving as barrier to protect the foetus and it expands during child birth to allow the baby to pass through.

She recounted that over the last 20 years scientists from around the world had proven that certain types of a virus called Human Papillomavirus (HPV) were the necessary cause of Cervical Cancer. The virus, she said, could be transmitted during sex, or even sometimes during intimate genital skin to skin contact, adding that every sexually active woman risked catching the virus. Turning to Breast Cancer, Dr Decker said, in the United States, it was the second most common cancer after lung cancer, affecting women. She said, although much more common in women, men could also develop this disease.

She explained that an abnormal mass or group of cells in the breast, "is usually called a lump or tumour, but was quick to add, however, that "the presence of a lump does not always mean cancer." "A benign or harmless tumour is not cancerous; it is a form of lump that usually does not spread, and may be easily removed." On the other hand, she said a malignant tumour "is able to spread to other parts of the body, and cause damage to surrounding tissues, and this is what is known as cancer."

Touching on the treatment of the disease, Dr Decker advised that early detection and treatment was vital, and that the healthcare provider should carry out breast examinations on a regular basis. Women, she said, also need to perform regular self-examinations to check for changes. The treatment, Dr Decker said, would usually involve a combination of surgery, radiation, therapy, and medication. She explained that most women with Breast Cancer would first notice a change in the breast tissue, and that this would usually involve a painless, solid, hard, irregular and unmovable lump. "In some cases, there may also be pain, discharge from the nipple, or the nipple may pull into the breast." During question time, the audience were told that whenever there was an unusual increase in the size of one breast, a marked difference in appearance, or with one breast unusually lower than the other, they should consult a doctor immediately for diagnosis. 14 June 10