A Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, Dr Ephraim Ohazurike, says Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine cannot be taken as a protective immunisation against ovarian cancer.
Ohazurike, who works at the Oncology and Pathologist Studies Unit, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, spoke in Lagos on Wednesday.
According to him, most cervical cancers were associated with HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, saying HPV vaccine reduces the chances of having cervical cancer.
Ohazurike said that HPV vaccine has no effect on ovarian cancer.
He said that they were unrelated, pointing out that currently, there was no vaccine or medically validated screening for diagnosing ovarian cancer.
According to Cancer Research UK, ovarian cancer is when abnormal cells in the ovary begin to grow and divide in an uncontrolled way, and eventually form a growth (tumour).
Ohazurike said that having a close relative with a history of ovarian cancer increases the person’s chance of developing ovarian cancer.
He said that the undergone genetic screening for mutations in the BRCA gene might help determine a person’s risk disposition to having ovarian cancer.
According to him, most cancers don’t have a cause, noting that for cancer to exist, it must be either genetic predisposition or genetic abnormalities acquired from the environment.
“About five per cent of cancer cases are genetic, while most commonly seen cancer cases are from people’s interactions with the environment.
“To reduce risk of environment induced cancer, one needs to lessen exposure to pollution, radiation and maintain good diets,’’ the expert said.
He said that globally, research was ongoing about early diagnosis for ovarian cancer, adding it’s a silent killer, and lots of people die from it because they come in at stage three or stage four.
Ohazurike said that they recommended vaginal scan, pelvic examination and CA125 level test for people who were at increased risk of ovarian cancer, in spite of absence of medically validated screening for the disease.
“In Nigeria, ovarian cancer is the second most common gynaecological cancer with an incidence of 30.5 per cent.
“It is typically present in postmenopausal women with the peak incidence occurring in the early 60s.
“However, ovarian cancer may also be seen in younger women, in which case it is often associated with certain genetic predispositions such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations,’’ he said.
The physician stressed the need for the establishment of an effective cancer registry that’s population based, adding that current cancer registry were hospital based.
He called for increased awareness and sensitisation about existence of ovarian cancer, improved health seeking behaviour of the people and need to embrace science to know cause of death of a deceased person.
Ohazurike called on professional associations and governments to engage in policies for proper management of patients with ovarian cancer to increase survival rate.
Also, Dr Okeke Awele, a former Programme Manager, Sebeccly Cancer Care, advised women to pay attention to their bodies, and seek prompt attention to noticeable body changes.
Awele listed some symptoms of ovarian cancer as bloated tummy, vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, fatigue, weight gain or loss, among others.
She said that early detection and treatment of ovarian cancer increases a person’s chance for recovery and survival.
