(CRHoy.com) Doctors assure that cervical cancer it is a completely preventable disease and has a high chance of being curable when detected in early stages. However, the myths surrounding the disease and vaccination against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) become a latent risk.
Some myths suggest that papilloma virus is never serious. Given this, doctors are clear in warning that papillomaviruses can cause certain cancers and diseases in men and women. Some types can promote development from Cancer cervical, vaginal and vulvar in women and Cancer anal in men and women. Others can cause genital warts in men and women.
And although many assume that this virus only affects women or young people, men can also get it and suffer consequences from the infection, how to get warts Cancer throat, penis, mouth, as well as transmit it.
While such infection can occur without age restrictions. “Any sexually active person who has genital contact with an infected person is at risk of becoming infected,” specialists point out.
Although the vast majority of these papillomavirus infections are transient and are cleared within two or three years by the body itself, it is estimated that of every 100 women who have a papillomavirus infection, at least five have a pre-cancerous lesion.
Given this, the doctors clarify that Cervical cancer can affect any woman of any age. once you have started sexual life.
According to data from the World Observatory of Cancer ‘Globocan’ al 2020, the risk of suffering Cancer from cervix before 75 years for women in Costa Rica it is 1.4. That is, 1 in 71 women. And the risk of dying from this disease before the age of 75 is 1.2. Which corresponds to 1 in 83.
The numbers of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) show that Every day in our country a case of this disease is detected, while every three days A woman diagnosed with this disease dies.
And it is that of all the deaths of women from cancer five correspond to this type of cancer, something that for the health authorities is avoidable, due to the conditions of care and opportunity for early detection that the country has.
However, another of the myths identified by the authorities is that nothing can be done to prevent the risk of Cancer.
“Ten-year-old girls should be vaccinated and adult women in sexual life should have a Pap smear every two years to detect lesions in very early stages, even before they become Cancer”, reported the Box.
Pap
According to doctors, meeting the recommendation to have a pap smear every two years is one of the keys to detect lesions in the uterus infected with the human papillomavirus, before the beginning of the development of the Cancer.
The Fund ensures that in all the Basic Comprehensive Health Care Teams (Ebais) in the country, there is the availability of cytology and wherever there is a gynecologist there is access to the colposcope and equipment for the treatment of pre-cancerous lesions when they are detected.
“The Pap smear is ideal because the Cancer from cervix it develops slowly and detects pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions with a good prognosis, still without risk of death, in a period between seven and fifteen years after infection with the virus”, detailed the CCSS.
Vaccination
The HPV vaccine is included in the Expanded Immunization Plan in Costa Rica, for 10-year-old girls; however, there are also a series of myths that predispose parents to give the injection to their daughters.
One of them is that the HPV vaccine can cause the disease. After this, the specialists clarify that this vaccine it does not cause HPV infection or cancer. “It is made from a virus-like particle and is non-infectious, meaning it cannot cause infection or disease.”
The bio-pharmaceutical company, MSD, clarified other myths surrounding this vaccination:
- Is the HPV vaccine really safe and effective?
The vaccine is safe and effective. Like other medications, it can have mild side effects that go away quickly. The most common are: pain, redness or swelling in the arm where the injection was given, fever, dizziness or fainting, nausea, headache or feeling tired, muscle or joint pain.
- Does vaccination against HPV predispose the onset of sexual activity?
The HPV vaccine protects against HPV infection and its related diseases such as cancer. Various clinical studies have not shown that vaccinated patients start sexual life early.
- Do HPV vaccines cause infertility?
The Global Advisory Group on Vaccine Safety (GAVCS) of the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted an extensive review of the available scientific evidence and concluded that there is no causal relationship between vaccination against HPV and infertility.
- Does the HPV vaccine contain harmful substances?
The ingredients in the HPV vaccine, as in all vaccines, are intended to ensure that it is effective and safe. These ingredients are found naturally in the environment, in the body or in food. For example, the HPV vaccine contains aluminum, as do the hepatitis B, or TdaP (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccines. Aluminum stimulates the body’s immune response to the vaccine. People are exposed to aluminum on a daily basis through food, eating utensils, water, and even breast milk. Aluminum-containing vaccines have been safely administered to more than three billion people for decades.
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