VSMMC hold free check-up for cervical cancer

CEBU, Philippines - The Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center will hold a free check-up for women this coming Saturday in line with the observance of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month dubbed as “Scarlet May”.

The check-up or “Visual Inspection” using aceto-acitic acid or VIA will run from 8am to 5pm.

Dr. Cherry Pangilinan, Senior resident OB-Gyne of VSMMC, said the free “Visual Inspection” will be held simultaneously throughout the country. This year’s observance of the National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month adopted the theme “Babae Mahalaga Ka.”

Aside from the free check-up, lectures on cervical cancer would also be held.

Pangilinan said VIA and Papsmer are but secondary prevention to cervical cancer. Human papillomavirus or HPV vaccine is the primary prevention. Human papillomavirus infection is a necessary factor in the development of nearly all cases of cervical cancer.

Pangilinan said it is important for women to have themselves checked, considering that cervical cancer is the second leading cause of women with two persons dying of the illness every two minutes worldwide.

Cervical cancer is a malignant cancer of the cervix uteri or cervical area.

A symptom is vaginal bleeding, but doctors warn the symptoms may be absent until the cancer is in its advanced stages.

Treatment consists of surgery (including local excision) in early stages and chemotherapy and radiotherapy in advanced stages of the disease. The early stages of cervical cancer may be completely asymptomatic.

Vaginal bleeding, contact bleeding or (rarely) a vaginal mass may indicate the presence of malignancy.

Also, moderate pain during sexual intercourse and vaginal discharge are symptoms of cervical cancer while in advanced disease, metastases may be present in the abdomen, lungs or elsewhere.

Symptoms of advanced cervical cancer may include loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, pelvic pain, back pain, leg pain, single swollen leg, heavy bleeding from the vagina, leaking of urine or feces from the vagina, and bone fractures. — Johanna T. Natavio/JMO (THE FREEMAN)