New
coalition aims to get women to take risk test on cervical
cancer
By Geraldine Soh,
938LIVE | Posted: 13 July 2009 1929
hrs
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/442110/1/.html
SINGAPORE: A new coalition consisting of celebrities and
corporations hopes to get 18,000 women to take an online
risk test to raise awareness
about cervical cancer.
Currently, one woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer every other
day, according to the Health Promotion Board.
But only 60 per cent of sexually-active women have gone for a PAP
smear in the last three years.
That is lower than the 80 per cent experts say is necessary to
reduce the number of cancer cases and deaths here.
In a PAP smear, cells of the cervix are collected to test for the
presence of the cancer-causing Human Papilloma Virus.
If performed regularly together with vaccination, research shows
the risk of cervical cancer can be reduced by two-thirds.
Cervical cancer is the sixth most common cancer here. Doctors say
among the top 10 cancers, only cervical cancer can be prevented. -
938LIVE/vm
