The US’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the use of Pembrolizumab for the treatment of cervical cancer.
Pembrolizumab increases the immune system’s ability to attack melanoma cells and tumours, and therefore it is used in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of recurrent cervical cancer, says Emad Hamada — Professor of Clinical Oncology at Cairo University.
There are various types of cancer affecting women at different stages of their lives. Cervical cancer is the fourth most prevalent type in the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that the number of new cases with cervical cancer in 2020 was about 604,000, while the number of deaths due to cervical cancer is about 342,000.
These results pushed research and development centres to extensively search for effective treatments to reduce the number of deaths and increase recovery rates.
Alaa Kandil — Professor of Clinical Oncology at Cairo University — explained that cervical cancer is the fourth deadliest cancer that affects women, where different strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections play a huge role in its spread.
He also stressed the importance of early examination and follow-up upon the occurrence of any symptoms; even the simplest ones in early-stage cervical cancer may include irregular blood spotting or light bleeding between periods, postmenopausal spotting or bleeding, bleeding after sexual intercourse, and increased vaginal discharge — sometimes foul smelling.
Meanwhile, in the advanced stages of cervical cancer, more severe symptoms may appear as persistent back, leg, or pelvic pain, weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, foul smelling discharge and vaginal discomfort, and swelling of a leg or both lower extremities.
He also pointed out that cervical cancer can be prevented if screening tests are carried out meticulously, as well as vaccinations that protect against HPV infection.
Additionally, Kandil asserted the government’s effective role in raising awareness among women and providing them with the necessary tests and periodic medical examinations.
Moreover, Mohamed Al-Azzab — Consultant Gynaecologist and President of the Egyptian Society of colposcopy MD, MRCOG, BSCCP — pointed out that cervical cancer is the 13th most common cancer among Egyptian women, causing the death of about 744 women in Egypt annually.
He also pointed out that cervical cancer ranked the 12th most common cause of women’s death in 2021, which requires prompt medical intervention to try to terminate the spread of the disease and control it.
