Nellie, Myanmar

The story is about my 74-year-old childless, widowed sister-in-law. At age 49, she experienced a smelly yellow discharge after menopause. She was reluctant to tell anyone about her unusual symptom and disclosed it to me only after about 6 months. I brought her to a gynecologist who did a Pap smear, and it was proven to be in-situ cancer of the cervix, requiring surgery. Fortunately, the disease was still in an early treatable stage, even though she had hidden it for some time.

Then came a second cancer at another site, 13 years later, at age 72. She visited a dental clinic for a tooth extraction and found an ugly ulcer on the opposite side of her buccal mucosa, which she had not even noticed. She had to undergo surgery, which proved to be a carcinoma of the buccal mucosa. She required 30 sessions of radiation treatment. The main challenge was her budget; as a widow, she had to face it alone.

She became more depressed this time.

Her beloved brother and sister-in-law are medical professionals; she could confide in them before it was too late or her cancer might become progressive. The close moral support from her relatives helped her the most.

She underwent surgery twice at a private hospital, supported by close relatives, and she was satisfied with the treatment and services.

She does not smoke, chew betel quid, or drink alcohol, but the ill-fitting denture contributed to her oral cancer risk. The message is to always consult with the right healthcare professional regularly, without any delay, if any suspicious symptoms develop.

This story was published with the consent of Shwe Young Hnin Si Cancer Foundation, Myanmar.