Can virginity cause cancer?

Too much fuss about virginity. Statistics show that if you stay a virgin forever, you could increase your chances for ovarian cancer (http://www.aicr.org.uk/ OvarianCancer.stm.) On the other hand, those who are no longer virgins and especially those who have multiple sex partners, are likely to develop cancer of the cervix.

Cervical cancer ranks second as the most common cancer for women in the Philippines. The National Cancer Institute reported that every two minutes, a woman dies of cervical cancer worldwide.

Location Of The Cervix

Many think that the vagina is only a slit, a line or a small opening. Little do they know that it is a tube that is a few inches long and ends in the cervix, which connects to the uterus (womb for baby) that is located above it. The cervix is cap-like (as in convex top of your deodorant), pinkish, moist, and glossy with a hole in the middle.

Many things happen inside the woman’s reproductive system. That includes the spread of cervical cancer cells, which are being fought by your antibodies. However, the antibodies are tricked and their battle against these cancer cells happen for many years. Then, the antibodies surrender. Stage 1 cervical cancer takes place yet the woman does not feel any symptoms at all. Then, she experiences pain during sexual intercourse, has vaginal discharges and peri-intercourse bleeding that signal a late stage cancer where almost nothing can be done to save the person.

HPV: The Trigger

The cause of cervical cancer is the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). HPV is the one causing warts in the body. HPV attacks with its more than 100 forms (or strains). Only Strains 16, 18. 45 & 31 are responsible for cervical cancer. They cannot be easily killed by heat.

Innocent Girls Not Spared

HPV can be transmitted through non-sexual means. Prolonged contact with contaminated clothing can infect the innocent wearer. Even dead skin with HPV that were shed on bed sheets or sofas during sexual intercourse can stay infective for days. Sex is not a prerequisite for HPV spread. Even nuns were reported to have acquired HPV.

Early Screening

Nothing beats early detection to beat cervical cancer. Females have to examine their private parts regularly. Use a mirror and explore. Some even go overboard as they advise peeking deeper into the cervix using a personal plastic speculum.

Pap Smear

Undergo Dr. Papanicolaou’s (Pap) Smear Test. Regular test saves your cervix and your life. When? Start three years after your sexual debut. Then, undergo Pap Smear every year when you reach the age of 30. If smear is negative at 28, 29, and 30 years old, then you may have smears done every two to three years thereafter. Or do emergency smear if you have vaginal bleeding, pain, sore, or itching. Remember that it takes about 10 years from HPV infection for the cancer cells to develop. Women have five times more chance of getting cervical cancer if not regularly screened. Simple negligence, plus ignorance, can cause your life.

Vaccine For Cancer

There is a vaccine for cervical cancer. This good news will be discussed in my next article: Vaccine preference, why virgins are not spared, sexual practices among the Filipino youth and more.