These days, a lot of people encourage women to get a vaccination against cervical cancer. They go so far as to promote getting the shot at many university campuses. They say cervical cancer is the second-most common disease for women and emphasize that women need to get the vaccination. They also say it's important for girls to receive the vaccine before they have sexual contact and are exposed to HPV. Cervical cancer is the second-most common cancer for women in the world, and the fourth-most common cancer in Korea. Every two minutes, a woman dies because of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer grows in the tissues of the cervix. It is a slow-growing cancer that sometimes doesn’t have symptoms until the cancer has grown to an advanced stage. The major symptom is abnormal vaginal bleeding. It can be found during a procedure which scrapes cells from the cervix. Cervical cancer is almost always caused by the HPV infection. There are many kinds of HPV (Human Papillomavirus). Specifically, HPV types 16 and 18 cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases worldwide. It sounds like we have to get the vaccination. Smoking has also been linked to the development of cervical cancer. Smoking can lead to HPV which can result in cervical cancer

Researching cervical cancer started in the mid-1980s mostly in America and Australia. In 2006, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved the first preventive vaccine, and it was approved in 80 countries in 2007.

Last year, the side effect of the vaccination was discussed in Japan. There were over 2000 women who complained of side effects. Above all, quadriplegia and epilepsy occurred in over 350 women. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare stopped encouraging the shot. Also, More than 1,300 schoolgirls in the United Kingdom have experienced adverse reactions to the vaccine. In the world, more than one in 10 people have injection site problems such as redness, bruising, itching, swelling, or pain, and headache. More than one in 100 people experience fever, nausea, and painful arms, fingers, legs, or feet. Some experience tightness of the chest area and have difficulty breathing but many of the reactions result from the act of the injection rather than the vaccine, and there is no evidence.

The position of the obstetrician medical association is aggrieved. They studied cervical cancer for a long time, but their study was passed over because of the few people who had side effects. The study suggests that the effect is more than the side effects of the shot. Actually, Australia where the vaccine was first used there has been a reduction of 74% in cancer for under 18 year-old women for two years.

Vaccination supporters insist that the effect of the vaccine is enormous and we have to get shot three times but, the effect lasts for 5 years, and it can’t protect against all kinds of HPV. The cost of the vaccination is also enormous. It costs about a hundred fifty thousand won at per shot. Many people are afraid of having the side effects. Think carefully before you go to get shot. If you decided to get shot with slight side-effect, check your health first. If you have slight fever, you should delay the day. Secondly, let your doctor in charge to know when you had any disease. Lastly, take vitamin C because it helps to make antibodies.

Kim Du-ram  -

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