Kovsie Health

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH: EARLY DETECTION CAN HELP SAVE LIVES

“Awareness saves lives through early detection.”

That is why it is important to dedicate a month to getting the right information out about breast cancer, says Sister Corné Vorster, professional nurse at Kovsie Health.

According to her, it is one of the most treatable cancers and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed in October, is imperative to help prevent it.

Although it predominantly affects woman, it can also affect men.

“Breast cancer can be prevented to a very large extent with early detection by means of self-examinations, mammograms, and other tests.”

Vorster says awareness of it means that more people will gain access to proper information and testing, and fewer people will die from the disease.

And it can also lead to people making healthier lifestyle choices.

• Read more on the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) website about reducing your risk, symptoms and watch a video about self-examination: https://cansa.org.za/breast-cancer/

GRAPHICS: See info about the warning signs and self-examination. Graphics credit: CANSA The Cancer Association of South Africa



World Health Organization (WHO) University of the Free State UFS Alumni UFS Bloemfontein Campus SRC Kovsie TV KOVSIE FM 97.0 Edith Maritz Gerhard Jansen In Touch Therapy Centre Corne De Klerk Vorster Paula Olivier Anley Sarien De Necker Perle Farmer du Plessis UFS Bloemfontein Campus SRC UFS North College UFS Central College UFS South College South College - UFS UFS Faculty of Health Sciences The Real Kovsie TV UFS Student Counselling & Development

CERVICAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH: TAKE PRECAUTION BY SCREENING AND NATIONAL POLICY

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in South Africa, and it is often fatal due to late diagnosis and limited access to treatment.

It is caused by persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world.

A Pap smear, also called a Pap test, is a screening tool that can detect cervical cancer and its precursors. The test checks for abnormal cells in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus, that are cancerous or have the potential to become cancerous.

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is observed in September in South Africa with the aim of encouraging women to go for screening to prevent it.

A Pap smear can be done in your GP’s office and only takes a few minutes.

It is not painful, but you will probably feel a bit of discomfort. You should not be on your period when this test is being done. A Pap smear can however not detect any other sexually transmitted infections.

🩺 The national Department of Health has developed a cervical cancer prevention and control policy that aims to reduce mortality and morbidity from cervical cancer and to decrease the number of patients suffering from cervical cancer.

🩺 The policy recommends the following Pap smear protocol for women in South Africa:

1. Cervical screening should commence at 25 years of age.
2. Women should have three free cervical cancer screening tests at ten year intervals in the public health sector.
3. Women over the age of 50 should get a pap smear every five years.
4. Women living with HIV should get a pap smear every three years, regardless of their age or CD4 count.
5. Women who have had a hysterectomy should get a pap smear every five years if they have a history of cervical abnormalities or HPV infection, or if they are HIV positive.
6. Women who have had a total hysterectomy with removal of the cervix do not need to get a pap smear, unless they have a history of cervical cancer or its precursors.
7. Women with symptoms (such as pain or bleeding) can have a cervical test at any age.
8. Women who have an abnormal pap smear result should be referred for colposcopy and biopsy, and treated according to the national guidelines.
9. Women who have been vaccinated against HPV should still follow the pap smear protocol, as the vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.

🩺 Abnormal results will be managed according to the severity of the results and can be anything from doing a follow-up smear or sometimes referral to a gynaecologist. – Kovsie Health, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/

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University of the Free State National Department of Health (South Africa) UFS Alumni UFS Student Counselling & Development UFS Bloemfontein Campus SRC Kovsie TV KOVSIE FM 97.0 Edith Maritz Gerhard Jansen In Touch Therapy Centre Paula Olivier Anley Sarien De Necker UFS North College UFS Central College UFS South College South College - UFS UFS Faculty of Health Sciences