Despite recent progress in promoting pap smears, many women in
Taiwan still have dangerous misconceptions about cervical cancer
that could cost lives, a new survey has revealed. The survey,
conducted by the Taiwan Cancer Foundation and GlaxoSmithKline,
had 1,081 valid respondents. It found that only 25.8 percent of
respondents correctly identified the Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
as the cause of cervical cancer. Only 32.4 percent understood
the difference between an in situ and invasive cervical cancer.
The foundation said only 13 percent of women were aware that the
early in-situ stage of cervical cancer is completely symptom
free, and the only way to detect it at this stage is through
testing. "It's important to look for the cancer in individuals
that are completely symptom free," said Lai Chi-ming (賴基銘), a
doctor with the Taiwan Cancer Foundation. "The survival rate
from cervical cancer is practically 100 percent if the cancer
can be treated while it is in situ," Lai said. Lai said that
while National Health