Almost everyone knows that smoking is more injurious to health than bring benefits. Smoking also has been known to cause a variety of health problems, ranging from heart problems, impotence and cancer. One of the cancers that can be caused is cervical cancer.
"Smoking is a risk factor because mutagenic substances that can accumulate in the cervix that can lead the process easier. Process to become infected with cancer are generally long, from 3 to 17 years," said Dr. Laila Nuranna, SpOG (K) Onk, of the Division of Oncology Gynecology Faculty of medicine / RSCM, the talk show The 5th Annual Women's Health Expo (WHE) 2013 Grand Sahid Hotel, Jalan Sudirman, Jakarta, as quoted on Sunday (10/03/2013).
Cervical cancer is one cancer that claimed many victims other than breast cancer. This cancer attacks the cervix caused by infection with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). In addition to causing cancer, HPV can also cause genital warts, it's just different types of HPV cause cancer.
Transmission of HPV largely due to genital contact, including sexual risk. Unfortunately, most HPV infections are asymptomatic. Most people who are infected do not know they have been infected and transmit HPV. In addition to smoking, the risk of cervical cancer could also be due to marry young.
"In addition to smoking and risky sex, marriage at a young age is also one of the risk of cervical cancer. Genitals reason might not mature enough so that changes in the cells become vulnerable," said Dr. Laila.
HPV are of different types. HPV types 16 and 18 are the main cause in 70% of cases of cervical cancer in the world. While HPV 6 and 11 are the main cause of genital warts. Genital warts can affect both men and women and do not necessarily develop into cancer.