Research had shown that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women world-wide, 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 in the world.

The forum was organized by the Tema District branch of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, in commemoration of Women's Emphasis Day of the Church, over the weekend.

Dr. Decker said that every woman was at risk of contracting cervical cancer, irrespective of one's age and explained that the disease develops in the cervix, which is the low, narrow neck of the uterus that opens into the vagina.

She said that the cervix was important because it prevented infections from entering the uterus.

Dr. Decker also said that the cervix lengthens during pregnancy, protecting the foetus, and it expands during child birth to allow the baby to pass through.

She said that over the last 20 years, scientists from around the world had proven that "Human Papilloma virus" was the necessary cause of cervical cancer.

Dr. Decker said that the virus could be transmitted during sex or even sometimes during intimate genital skin to skin contact, adding that every sexually active woman risked contracting the virus.

She said that breast cancer was the second most common cancer after lung cancer, affecting women in the United States.

Dr. Decker said that 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, however, 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."

Dr. Decker said that on the other hand, a malignant tumour could spread to other parts of the body, and cause damage to surrounding tissues, which is known as cancer.

Dr. Decker advised that early detection and treatment of cancer was vital and that the healthcare provider should carry out regular breast examination.

She asked women to perform regular self-examination to check for changes in the breasts and said treatment usually involved a combination of surgery, radiation, therapy, and medication.

Dr. Decker explained that most women with breast cancer would first notice a change in the breast tissue, usually involving painless, solid, hard, irregular and unmovable lump.

She said "In some cases, there may also be pain, discharge from the nipple, or the nipple may pull into the breast."

Dr. Decker advised women to go to the hospital whenever they notice unusual increase in the size of one breast, a marked difference in appearance, or with one breast unusually lower than the other.

Source: GNA