Cervical cancer is an avoidable disease – in theory, at least
HPV can be defeated but access to treatment, and anti-vaccine campaigns, are an obstacle
Each year more than half a million women worldwide receive a cervical cancer diagnosis but, as the World Health Organization has made clear, the burden of the disease on people and health services is almost entirely avoidable. In principle, at least.
The reason is that nearly all cases of cervical cancer can be traced back to long-term infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Prevent the virus from taking hold, using the effective vaccines already on the market as well as screening to catch and treat abnormal cells before they turn into cancer, and rates of the disease can be slashed.
Continue reading...from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2TGSDRp
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