Men have important roles in the spread and, consequently, prevention of cervical cancer, but may not be aware of their potential in this area, while public awareness campaigns remain scarce, a seminar heard on Monday.
“The role of men, the husbands, is important in the program of cervical cancer prevention,” said Laila Nuranna, a lecturer at the School of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Indonesia, at the seminar on cervical cancer, in Jakarta.
Efforts to improve the male community’s awareness of the disease could begin in schools and community groups, Laila said.
Cervical cancer is the number-one killer cancer for women in Indonesia. It is estimated the disease kills around 20 to 25 women every day — around one woman every hour.
Men could play a large part in cervical cancer prevention, because the virus is mostly transmittable through sexual intercourse, while the majority of women’s sexual activities are of heterosexual nature, said Efren J.
Domingo, the secretary-general of the Asia Oceania Research Organization in Genital Infections and Neoplasia.
Efren illustrated the importance of the role of men by using a picture of Eva Peron, the second wife of the famed leader of Argentina, Juan Peron.
Eva Peron died in 1952 from cervical cancer. The fact that Peron’s first wife also died from the same disease earlier raised questions as to whether the Eva contracted the disease from Juan.
Melissa S. Luwia, the second chairwoman of the Indonesian Cancer Foundation (YKI), said getting men involved in the fight against cervical cancer was a challenge of its own.
“They need to be involved, but first we need good counseling to fill them in on the details, because the problem is the cancer-causing HPV [human papillomo virus] does not cause any problems for men, however it can cause [women to contract cancer] later on,” she said.
According www.cdc.gov the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the types of HPVs that can cause cervical cancer can also cause other cancers such as cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, head and neck, although they are less common.
Melissa said the campaign would be more effective for groups from certain economic and educational backgrounds, and that person-to-person campaigns would be more effective than group approaches.
Cervical cancer can also be prevented to some extent by administering vaccines, especially in men and women who have not been exposed to the viruses.
However, the vaccine may cost more than Rp 1 million (US$111) — a sum many Indonesians would find hefty. Thus not many women, let alone men, can take advantage of it.
Domingo said there was currently an increasing awareness among men in the Philippines about their role in preventing cervical cancer because of advertisements and campaigns aimed at improving awareness. (dis)
