DHAKA, Aug 12, 2018 (BSS) – Nearly 11,000 women die of uterus cancer
annually in Bangladesh, while about five crore females are at risk to be
affected by the disease, a recent research said.
The research conducted by a team of uterus cancer experts showed that the
illiterate and sex workers are at the great risk of the disease.
The seven-member team headed by Professor Dr Sultana Razia Begum of the
Gynaecology Department at Square Hospital disclosed the research results
after carrying out a survey on more than 1000 women and sex workers of four
districts.
Other members of the team are – Professor Dr Mozahid Uddin Ahmed of the
University Grants Commission (UGC), Dr Nasima Shahin, Dr Shamsunnar, Dr Sonia
Parveen and Assistant Professors of the Medicine Department of the Veterinary
Faculty under Bangladesh Agricultural University Dr AKM Anisur Rahman and Dr
Towhidul Islam.
According to the research, the women mostly suffer from uterus cancer for
seven reasons including unsafe sex, early marriage, smoking or consuming
tobacco and giving birth to more children.
However, the disease could be cured if it is diagnosed at proper time.
This research on Bangladesh’s Uterus Cancer was displayed in the form of
poster in the 6th Biannual Conference on “Genital Infection and Neoplasia”
held in Beijing of China under the auspices of Asia-Oceania Research
Organisation.
The poster of Bangladeshi researchers secured the first position among 35
posters of 25 participating teams of the Asia-Pacific region.
Member of the research team Prof Mozahid Uddin said uterus cancer has taken
an alarming turn due to lack of reproductive health education as well as
proper policy on reproductive health sector. “The disease can be turned into
an epidemic form, if necessary steps are not taken in this regard,” he
remarked.
Dr Mozahid said the research was conducted on over 1000 women and sex
workers of Khagrachhari, Jamalpur, Tangail and Gazipur districts.
According to the research, he said, nearly 11 percent of rural people and
31 percent sex workers carry papilloma virus that creates uterus cancer.
Though these women seem to be healthy, they can be attacked by uterus
cancer at any time.
Irregular and long time bleeding, and bleeding from uterus without any
reason and during sex and severe pain in the lower abdomen are the primary
symptoms of uterus cancer.
If any of these symptoms is seen, there is a chance to be attacked by
uterus cancer.
Dr Mozahid said the main seven reasons for uterus cancer are unsafe sex,
early marriage, giving birth to more children, smoking or consuming tobacco,
voluntary abortion and lack of reproductive health education.
“But those males who are engaged in sex with a number of women can spread
papilloma virus to other women as a carrier of the virus. And in many cases,
that man also could be attacked by genital cancer,” he said.
He further said uterus cancer is such a cancer which is curable. The virus
could be diagnosed and cured, when the infection remains at the preliminary
stage.
Besides, the women can be freed from this disease by taking preventive
injection and examining uterus for one time a year.
The head of the research team Dr Sultana Razia Begum said uterus cancer
remains at No. two position (19.2 percent) out of the 10 types of cancer by
which Bangladeshi women are attacked.
Many women die of cancer, but their families do not know the reason for
their death.
She said many women, being ashamed, hide the primary signs of uterus cancer
and do not want to examine. As a result, they are attacked by uterus cancer
gradually, she said.
Dr Begum said only proper education on sex and reproductive health as well
as awareness can keep the country’s womenfolk free from uterus cancer.
“For this, spearheading a campaign by the government and non-government
organisations in both urban and rural areas is very much essential,” she
opined.