Check for cancer signs, women told

 By MIRIAM MALAWA

WOMEN should look out for cancer symptoms and see a doctor for check-up and scans,an expert says.

Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Pacific International Hospital Dr Mathias Sapuri (pictured right) said at a press conference cancer was a leading cause of death among women in Papua New Guinea.

He warned women to be mindful of this and have regular check-ups.

He said there were specific signs and symptoms that women should look out for in the four major women cancers – breast, cervical, rendometrial (womb) and ovarian.

He said women must see a doctor immediately for check up if these symptoms are discovered:

• Breast cancer, women should look out for breast lumps; 
• Cervical cancer, women need to recognise early symptoms such as unusual period cycles, unusual bleeding, and unusual discharges;
• Endometrial cancer, women need to check out for unusual bleeding;
• Ovarian cancer, women should look out for lumps in their abdomen.

Cervical cancer can be prevented by receiving a specific medicine that stops the virus that initiate the cancer and women should have screening every two years.

He said cervical cancer test was recommended for women who were sexually active and should be continued until they reached 55 to 60.

“I have no doubt in my mind that if we do not do anything about vaccination in a bigger scale in PNG, cervical cancer would be the leading course of death among women,” he said.

He said the only prevention and detection was through vaccination and early screening.