Uterus cancer reason behind 11,000 women deaths annually in Bangladesh

Nearly 11,000 women die of uterus cancer annually in Bangladesh, while about fifty million 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 per cent of rural people and 31 per cent 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 are seen, there is a probability of uterus cancer developing.

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 once in a year.

The head of the research team Dr Sultana Razia Begum said uterus cancer remains at No. 2 position (19.2 per cent) out of the 10 types of cancer by which Bangladeshi women are affected, said a BSS report.

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 become victim of 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.