Preventing Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer has begun to be recognized as a dangerous threat for women. Also note if cervical cancer is is the most common cancer suffered by women in developing countries. Cervical cancer is usually affects the cervical area of ​women uterus, is now the second leading cause of death in cancer patients in Indonesia. Every year no less than 15,000 new cervical cancer in Indonesia. A total of 7,500 patients of whom died from cervical cancer. 

Cryo-electron micrograph of human papilloma virus. (Picture from: http://www.time.com/)

Speaking on this cervical cancer, can not be separated from the name of a virus called Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Because of several factors that cause cervical cancer such as premature sexual intercourse, multiple sexual partners, oral contraceptives, HIV infection, smoking, and stress is continuous, it is one factor that is related to the HPV virus.

Prof. Harald zur Hausen

Prof. Harald zur Hausen who first discovered the virus in 1980. Virus experts German origin found HPV to cause cervical cancer. Although the discovery of this newly recognized World Health Organization, the European Research Association on Genital Infection and Neoplasia, and the National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference on Cervical Cancer in 1996. With this discovery, Prof. Harald who won the Nobel prize in medicine and physiology in 2008.

Vaccination can be started when someone aged 9 to 14 years, both for women and men. This was done for the prevention and early detection. To men because men can carry this virus, "said Harald in the International Conference on Biomedical Science 2012: Prospect and Challenge of Biomedical Research held by the School of Biological Science (Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Hayati or STIH) Bandung Institute of Technology (Institut Teknologi Bandung or ITB), in West Hall ITB, Ganeca Road, Bandung, on Monday (2/27/2012).

Indonesia as one of the patients with cervical cancer which is pretty much the opportunity to visit Prof. Harald. According to the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2008, cervical cancer can actually be prevented. In fact, based on the results of his research, 70 percent to 80 percent of cervical cancers could be prevented by vaccination.

Cervix area on women uterus. (Picture from: http://medicineworld.org/)

Vaccination carried out for three times, after the first vaccination, vaccination performed one month following the second and third vaccination at six months thereafter. Gardasil vaccine is used or servariks, "says Harald.

Early prevention of cervical cancer, said the man who was born March 11, 1936 in Gelsenkirchen, province of Westphalia, Germany is very important because people are infected with HPV virus does not appear in the early symptoms of infection. Symptoms will appear and feel after 15 or 20 years later and when the condition is severe.

"Virus and carcinogens are also working together for the development of these cancers and can grow human cancers. Pattern of food consumption is not good can be the cause, such as the consumption of meat is not cooked. I want to continue to develop in order to prevent and diagnose this disease so that it can assist in cure cancer, "he said.

Today was, Harald still continue to do research. Most recently, Harald studied colon cancer and leukemia and to date he is still looking for this type of virus causing the disease. "I want to try to see all the viruses that can cause cancer, so I can prevent. Results of this study can also be used for treatment," he said. *** [NURYANI | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 01032012]

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