Cervical cancer is easy to prevent

Manila, Philippines - Between doing household chores, caring for their spouses and children, balancing the budget, and accomplishing their careers, many of today’s busy women simply have very little time to take care of themselves, often to the detriment of their health.

Let us all pay tribute to the heroic love of moms  as well as all self-sacrificing women. Women should focus on their own health, such as having themselves protected against the second most common killer cancer among Filipino women.

“According to the Department of Health, more than 7,000 new cases of cervical cancer turn up every year, and over 3,800 of these patients die because of it,” says Dr. Regina Syfu, ob-gynecologist of Healthway Greenbelt 5.

“While we see that awareness about cervical cancer is rising over the past few years, a lot of women still have very little idea about what causes it, and how it can be prevented,” she adds. “Thankfully, preventive vaccines are available to keep this cancer from developing. The main point is to convince women to regard these vaccines as indispensable to their health.”

Healthway’s cervical cancer vaccinations protect women against the most common strains of the cancer-causing human papillomavirus or HPV. There are around 120 strains of the virus, and among these are 15 types that are considered high-risk, since they can move from the skin down to the cervix, creating small changes that can eventually lead to cancer.

Fortunately, it takes years before the initial infection to a high-risk HPV type develops into cervical cancer. That’s why Dr. Regina Syfu recommends that HPV vaccinations be given as early as possible. Ideally, the vaccine can be given to girls as early as nine years old, and to women up to 45 years old.

Dr. Syfu advises women to also take annual Pap smear screening since it is the easiest and cheapest way to detect any abnormal cell growth in the cervix that may lead to cancer.

“Cervical cancer is certainly a cause for concern, but we assure women and their loved ones that it is very easy to prevent,” says Carmie de Leon, Healthway vice president for sales and marketing. “With early detection and treatment, it can be virtually eliminated. So it is about time for busy women to realize that they can care for others and take good care of their health as well.”

Located in major malls of Metro Manila, Healthway Medical gives patients the convenience of not having to go out of their way to get themselves vaccinated against HPV. It has seven branches located at Alabang Town Center, Festival Mall, Edsa Shangri-La, Greenbelt 5, Market! Market!, Robinsons Place Manila, and The Block in SM City North. For inquiries, call 751- 4929 or visit www.healthway.com.ph.