Studies also show that eighty percent of cervical cancer deaths are in developing countries like Saipan.
The numbers are alarming and it warns women to be aware of their lifestyle, their health as well as what options are available to them to be able to prevent acquiring cervical cancer.
HPV
Studies from the World Health Organization state that cervical cancer is included among the top list of cancers that affect women the most.
Women aged 40 and 55 are mostly affected by the disease caused by the Human Pappillomavirus.
According to U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teen agers who are sexually active, boys and girls alike, are prone to HPV.
Although some of them would not know they have it, CDC states that studies show the virus is common to teens in their late 20’s.
CDCP said the virus not only causes cervical cancer but other sexually transmitted diseases such as genital warts and other less common genital cancers — like cancers of the anus, vagina, and vulva.
CNMI Department of Public Health Medical Director Richard Brostrom said women in the CNMI are in high risk of acquiring the cancer and HPV related diseases.
To protect the women on island from the ill-effects of HPV, Public Health and the Commonwealth Cancer Association are encouraging parents to bring their teen children for HPV vaccines.
Brostrom said it is the first ever vaccine proven to prevent women from HPV related genital diseases.
Starting on October 2008, Public Health and CCA started promoting their campaign against cervical cancer.
CCA and Public Health staff visited middle schools on island to give HPV shots to students for free.
Posters and flyers about HPV vaccine and cervical cancer are posted around the Commonwealth Health Center and on bulletin boards of schools on island.
The vaccine
Brostrom said they recommend girls ages 9 to 25 years old to have the vaccine.
“We want to make sure to protect [the girls] from the vaccine before they reach the age when they will become sexually active,” he added.
The vaccine also known with its brand name Gardasil®, is given in three shots over six-months
Brostrom said there are over 1400 shots available for the women on island.
He is advising interested girls or their parents to visit the Womens Clinic for more information about the vaccine.
Girls below the age 19 may be able to receive the vaccine for free while girls older need to pay $130 to get the shot.
CDC said females who have been sexually active may get less benefit from HPV vaccine “because they may have already gotten an HPV type targeted by the vaccine.”
“Few sexually active young women are infected with all HPV types covered by the vaccine so they would still get protection from those types they have not yet gotten,” CDCP added.
There are no tests available yet to determine if a person has had HPV in the past and of which type of HPV it is.
CDC encourages women who have HPV shots to undergo regular cervical cancer screening or Pap smears.
For more information on HPV vaccine call CHC at 234-8950 or CCA at 236-8728.
FAQS
The following are frequently asked questions about HPV vaccine:
How long does vaccine protection last? Will a booster shot be needed?
Brostrom said the vaccine is good for a lifetime.
“You may need a booster vaccine many years after getting vaccinated to boost protection,” he added.
What does the vaccine not protect against?
On its Kids Health section online, Public Health said the vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV — the vaccine does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections. So it will still be important for sexually active persons to lower their risk for other STIs.
Will girls/women be protected against HPV and related diseases, even if they don’t get all three doses?
It is very important that girls/women get all three doses of the vaccine, Brostrom said.
