MORE THAN 1,500 MALAYSIAN WOMEN DIAGNOSED WITH CERVICAL CANCER ANNUALLY

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- More than 1,500 women in Malaysia are
diagnosed with cervical cancer annually, and about two out of four to five women
die from it daily, said National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM) medical
director Dr Saunthari Somasundaram.

She said the number could continuosly increase if there was no awareness and
action taken, and also due to weak or non-existent cervical cancer screening and
treatment programmes.

"In Malaysia, cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths.

"According to the National Cancer Registry, 50 per cent of between four and
five Malaysian women detected with the cancer, will die of it," she told
reporters after the 'Power Over Cervical Cancer's Pink Mobile (POCC) Wrap-up
Event' here Friday.

The POCC campaign, launched last July 16 to highlight the escalating
incidences of cervical cancer, urges women to protect themselves against the
disease by vaccination and regular screening.

Dr Saunthari said the campaign had initially targeted 10,000 people to
complete the questionnaire but the target was surpassed, at 14,526.

"Therefore, it is important to take the human papilloma virus (HPV)
vaccination to help them as prevention steps.

Dr Saunthari said, there were 100 types of HPV but only about 20 of them
caused cancer.
-- BERNAMA