Lack of awareness leads to higher fatalities among cervical cancer patients : Dr Jeyarani

Chennai, March 07, 2017: (UNI) The worldwide prevalence rate of various forms of cancer, more particularly cervical cancer, among women was 2.
5 million.

In India every year 13 lakh to 24 lakh newer cases of cervical cancer were reported, mostly in the age-group of 25-40 years, and the alarming feature was that 75 per cent of them were diagnosed at an advanced stage, of which an estimated 70,000 fatalities are reported per year.
Talking to UNI after launching an exclusive free cancer medical camp as part of International Women’s Day celebrations, newly elected Secretary of the Obstetric and Gynaecological Society of Southern India (OGSSI) and Aakash Fertility Centre and Hospital Founder Directors Dr K S Jeyarani Kamaraj and Dr T Kamaraj said though the global prevalence rate was 2.
5 million, early detection, early prevention and vaccination has significantly reduced the mortality and morbidity rate in developed countries.

‘But the irony is that the awareness level in India is very less when compared to other countries, resulting in increase in number of mortality’, Dr Jeyarani Kamaraj said.

Flanked by OGSSI President Dr Veni, she said the main reason for the increase in cervical cancer rate was due to multiple child births, multiple sexual partners and early sexual activity (pre-marital sex, which has now become common in several countries).

Stressing the importance for conducting papsmear tests among all married and pregnant women for early diagnosis of cancer, Dr Jeyarani said early detection is best protection’.

‘For this more and more awareness campaign is needed and this special cancer screening camp by OGSSI and the Akash hospital is the step in that direction’, Dr Jeyarani said, adding, more such camps would be held across the city to create an awareness among women, especially married and pregnant women, to go for papsmear tests at least once a year.

During the day long camp, Dr Jeyarani said they were expected to screen nearly 1,000 women (all age group of above 20) and if any of the papsmear tests show positive results, follow up treatment would be initiated.
She said a separate session, including counselling, would be held for adolescent women (below 20 years of age), who would also be educated on this subject.

Apart from cervical cancer, women would also be screened for breast and lung cancers also during the camp. –United News of India