Don't Try It! Early Childhood Sex Increases The Risk Of Servical Cancer

JAKARTA - The risk of developing cervical cancer or cervical neck cancer can be reduced by not having sex at an early age. In addition to not changing partners and being sexually active after adulthood, vaccination of human papillomavirus (HPV) which is a mandatory vaccine in the national immunization program is also important to provide.

"Every cancer has its own risk factors, avoiding multiple partners and not having sex from an early age," said internal disease specialist from the University of Indonesia dr. Nadia Ayu Mulansari, Sp.PD-KHOM.

The HPV vaccine has an important role for prevention and is given to 5 and 6 elementary school students and is given twice. This vaccine can be given from girls to women aged 105 years who have not been active in sexual intercourse. Meanwhile, for women who have been active in sexual intercourse, the HPV vaccine can be injected if an individual has not been infected with HPV and does not have cervical cancer before getting the vaccine.

Cervic cancer is most often diagnosed in women aged between 35 and 44 years with an average age when diagnosed as 50 years. More than 20 percent of cervical cancer cases were found in women over 65.

Cervic cancer has a higher mortality rate than breast cancer, mainly due to low screening rates so that cervical cancer is found to be in advanced stages.

"Because the breasts on the surface are easier to touch (when there is a lump)," he explained as quoted by ANTARA.

On the other hand, cervical cancer is difficult to detect if there is no routine examination. Generally, cervix neck cancer is only detected after the advanced stage where symptoms such as bleeding after sexual intercourse appear.

Examination of pap smear can be done once every five years, then followed by HPV examination. Another option is pap smear every three years without HPV examination.

Almost all cervical cancer is caused by infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) at high risk. HPV can be transmitted if there is skin-to-slit contact in the genital area. servic cancer can be treated in several ways, depending on the type of cervical cancer and how far it spreads, by means of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy.

Even though it has been treated, cervical cancer can recur or metastasize. The recurrence of cervical cancer can develop after the completion of the initial treatment.

The purpose of treatment is to remove all cancers, but sometimes cancer cells are not detected, or new cancer cells develop.

"As a result, cancer has the potential to return to the cervix or surrounding area, or to other body parts, so it must be monitored regularly," said Nadia.

If cervical cancer recurrences are detected, recommended treatment is usually determined based on a combination of several factors, including early patient treatment, recurrence location, and overall patient health.

As for the latest systemic treatment, immunotherapy, has given new options for treating cervical cancer patients who experience recurrence and metastasis.

"Immunotherapy has specifically shown broad activity in cervical cancer, and provides further hope for new treatment options with greater efficacy and manageable safety profiles," said Nadia.

Starting this year, immunotherapy for the treatment of cervical cancer has been available in Indonesia, especially for patients diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer.