By Huzaifa Lawal 


Over the past three decades, cervical cancer prevalence among young women increased from 10% to 40%. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Agency For Research On Cancer (IARC) report ,there is estimatedly 529,000 new cases of cervical cancer in 2008 and approximately 85% of death caused by this cancer globally occurs in developing and underdeveloped nations.

One may ask, what is this deadly cancer?.

Cervical cancer is a metastatic tumor developing in the cervix , particularly the transformational zone of the cervix. It is primarily caused by the high-risk Human papilloma Virus(HPV) 

It is important to know that at the early stage of the cancer  is asymptomatic, symptoms manifest when the cancer becomes invasive and infiltrate nearby tissues.The symptoms includes, abnormal vaginal bleeding, unusual vaginal discharge, blood in urine and pain during sex.

Additionally, cervical cancer is attributable to some risk factors that are either reproductive, sexual or behavioral in nature with exposure to high-risk HPV as the leading risk factor.

However, this cancer is preventable if detected early through effective diagnostic techniques such as Pap smear test, HPV DNA test and Biopsies. Fortunately enough the cancer is responsive to treatments like Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Recent research shows that emerging therapeutic approaches are promising in the treatment of cervical cancer these include, Sentinel lymph nodes biopsy (SNLB), immunotherapy (www.cancer.org/cancer/types/cervical-cancer/treating/immunotherapy.html), HPV Vaccine and Targeted Therapy.

Conclusively, the most effective ways of preventing cervical cancer are through HPV vaccine and Cervical cancer screening test. The HPV vaccine was introduced to Nigeria in 2009. However, there are challenges involved particular in the acceptance and uptake rate of the vaccine among targeted population of young girls, this is attributable to religious and socio-cultural factors. The cervical cancer screening program was also promoted by the Nigerian government across all levels of it's healthcare system. I firmly believe that educating and enlightening the public is indispensably important in prevention of cervical cancer in Nigeria.


Email: lawalhuzaifah@gmail.com.