An East Pattaya clinic offered women free tests for cervical cancer.
Women ages 30-59 were eligible for the April 29 screenings at Nong Samor Health Promotion Hospital in coordination with Banglamung Hospital.
Cervical cancer is curable if caught early. It is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus, which is a sexually transmitted infection.
Nearly all cervical cancer is due to HPV with two types, HPV16 and HPV18, accounting for 70 percent of cases. Between 60-90 percent of other cancers also are linked to HPV.
Cervical cancer kills an average seven Thai women a day, or 6,000 a year. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, but most victims won’t realize they have it and it could take up to 10 years for cancer to materialize.
Other factors contributing the cervical cancer are sexual activity at a young age, a large number of sex partners or with a man who has many partners, extended use of birth control pills, more than four pregnancies, and other STDs.
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