Cervical cancer claims more than 2,400 women out of the 4,000 cases reported annually, a Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) indicates.
But the number of fatalities could be reduced if the killer disease id detected and treated early commenced.
Cancer is an abnormal medical condition through which cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues.
Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. Cervical cancer starts in the cells lining the cervix – the lower part of the uterus (womb).
Ms. Carol Mwangi, an oncologist in a private clinic in Narok town said cervical cancer arises from the cervix due to the abnormal growth of cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body.
“Just like any other disease, cervical cancer has symptoms but cannot be detected early,” she said.
The symptoms of cervical cancer include bleeding between periods, smelly vaginal discharge, vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain and pain during sexual intercourse.
“While bleeding after sex may not be serious, it may also indicate the presence of cervical cancer,” she observed.
Ms. Mwangi explained the main cause of cervical cancer is the Human Papilloma Virus, (H.P.V) which is sexually transmitted and with it, there are various types of this virus that can cause cervical cancer.
Having many sexual partners endangers an individual from contracting the disease because H.P.V virus is transmitted as a result of sexual contact with an infected individual. Therefore, women with many sexual partners have a higher risk of contracting the virus.
According to Ms. Mwangi, women who smoke are also at a higher risk of suffering from the disease than those who don’t smoke.
It has also been proven that women who have given birth at a tender age but prolong using family planning pills could also suffer cervical cancer.
Ms. Mwangi explained there are tests carried out to diagnose cervical cancer such as Pap smear tests.
“If abnormal cells are detected on the Pap smear, a colposcopy procedure is then performed; a small tissue sample (biopsy) is taken for examination by a pathologist to look for precancerous changes or cancer. In this a light microscope is used to examine the external surface cervix during a pelvic examination,” said Ms. Mwangi.
Cervical cancer runs from stage I to stage 4. In the first phase, the cancer has spread from the cervix lining into the deeper tissue but it is still found in the uterus. In the second phase, the cancer has spread beyond the cervix to nearby areas such as the vagina or tissue near the cervix but it is still inside the pelvic area.
In third phase, the tumor has spread to the pelvic wall and or involves the lower third of the vagina, and or causes swelling of the kidney. The last phase, this is where cancer has spread to the bladder and rectum and a victim loses control of the stool and urine.
Cervical cancer treatments includes; Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy and having a surgery. A surgery is performed in early stages to remove the cancer by the removal of the uterus. Other procedures may be performed to preserve the ability to carry babies. This may be done in younger women with small tumors.
“In cases where radiotherapy is applied, chemotherapy must accompany it, which has side effects such as fatigue, nausea and vomiting,” he said.
Ms. Jenifer Wanjiru, 35 is a cervical cancer survivor. For her, it has been a life changing journey especially after her husband abandoned her after he realized she had the disease. “Thanks to my friends and relatives who raised money for my treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital,” said Wanjiru.
Wanjiru’s troubles began with a smelly discharge from her private parts which then graduated to unbearable pelvic pain which lasted for three months until when she decided to visit a health facility to get answers.
“I was forced to visit Manyatta clinic in Narok town for medical checkup but the doctor there referred me to Kenyatta National Hospital where the tests showed I had hormonal imbalance,” said the mother of two.
Wanjiru who is a vegetable vendor was later diagnosed with cervical cancer in the same hospital early last year. “Following the diagnosis, I had to make several trips to Nairobi for treatment. Because of this my husband abandoned me with my two children, one in class six and the other in class two,” she painfully narrated.
Wanjiru was first terrified by the number of Cancer patients visiting the hospital and dying every day from the disease. “What scared me most was the number of cancer patients dying each day, I always prayed that I would not be next,” she said.
One would expect that Wanjiru’s situation would improve once she started her chemotherapy treatment, instead things moved from bad to worse. She started wasting and her children became scared.
“Some of my close family members gave up on me and abandoned me, nevertheless I encouraged myself that all will be well,” she said. The worst came when doctors explained that her condition could not improve even with the ongoing treatment as she was in the final stages of the disease.
“Thankfully, not all my friends vanished. A few stood by me during the extremely tough times and helped me raise funds for my next sets of treatment,” she said.
“When my husband left, I thought my world had come to an end, but God never forsakes his people,” she said. Wanjiru eventually went through chemotherapy to the last stage and on July this year she was declared cancer free.
Research is ongoing, not only to improve methods to treat cervical cancer, but also to improve methods of treating pre-cancers and detecting cancers in early, treatable stages.
Drug treatments, including the application of antiviral medications to the cervix, are being studied as an alternative or complement to surgical management of precancerous changes in the cervix.
For existing cancers, new targeted therapies are always being studied. Testing of HPV vaccines continues to determine whether they may be able to help a woman’s immune system fight off an existing HPV infection.
Clinical trials are an option for many cancer patients. Clinical trials are research studies that involve actual patients, looking at new treatments or combination of treatments for a condition. Your doctor can help you decide if a clinical trial might be right for you.
The government of Kenya through the Ministry of Health has been advocating for screening in a bid to detect, diagnosis and treatment early to avoid complications that come with late detection.
