What is Cervical Cancer? Cervical cancer is
cancer of the uterine cervix, the portion of the uterus attached to the top of the vagina. Ninety percent of cervical cancers
arise from the flattened or "squamous" cells covering the cervix. Most of the remaining 10% arise from the glandular, mucus-secreting
cells of the cervical canal leading into the uterus. What Causes Cervical Cancer? The development of cervical cancer
is gradual and begins as a pre-cancerous condition called dysplasia. In this form it is 100% treatable, usually without the
need for a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus). Dysplasia (right), depending on its severity, can resolve without
treatment, particularly in young women. However, it often progresses to actual cancer called "carcinoma in situ" (CIS) if
it.has not spread, or "microinvasive" if it has spread only a few millimeters into the surrounding tissue and not into the
lymph channels or blood vessels. It may take years for dysplasia to turn into carcinoma in situ or microinvasive cancer, but
once this process occurs the cancer can quickly spread deeper into nearby tissues or other organs, such as the bladder, intestines,
liver, or lungs. Usually patients with cervical cancer do not experience problems until the cancer is advanced and has spread.
A Pap smear can pick up dysplasia and early forms of cervical cancer that have not yet spread.Most women diagnosed today with
cervical cancer have either not had regular Pap smears or they have not followed up after having an abnormal smear. Risk
Factors for Cervical Cancer: • Infection with the virus that causes genital warts (human papilloma virus or HPV)
may increase the risk of developing dysplasia and subsequent cancer. Fortunately, not all women who have had HPV infection
or genital warts develop cervical cancer. Some scientists believe that other factors, such as smoking, may increase the risk
of developing cervical cancer in those who have had HPV. • Early age at first sexual intercourse. • Multiple
sexual partners and/or partners who have multiple partners. • In the early 1970's, it was discovered that women whose
mothers took an estrogen drug during pregnancy called DES (diethylstilbestrol) are at risk of a rare form of cervical and
vaginal cancer. For more information go to the DES Action web page. • There is a small increased risk of abnormal
Pap smears among women who take birth control pills. It is thought that this is because such women are more sexually active,
are less likely to use condoms, and have more frequent Pap smears in order to be prescribed the birth control pill. •
Women whose immune systems are weakened -- such as those with HIV infection or women who have received organ transplants and
are taking drugs to suppress the immune system -- may be at a higher risk. • Infections with genital herpes or chronic
chlamydia infections, both sexually transmitted diseases, may increase risk. • Poor women may be at higher risk because
they are uninsured or not able to afford regular pap smears. Worldwide, cervical cancer is the third most common type of
cancer in women. It is much less common in the U.S. because most women have routine Pap smears that can detect the early treatable
forms of the disease. It is thought that the Pap smear has reduced the death rate from this disease by 70% since it was
introduced in 1941. However, many women are still diagnosed with cervical cancer in the U.S. In the year 2000, 12,800 women
were diagnosed with cervical cancer and there were 4,600 deaths from this disease.What are the Symptoms of Cervical Cancer? Most
often, cervical cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages does not cause any symptoms. When there are symptoms, the
most common are: • Persistent vaginal discharge, which may be pale, watery, pink, brown, blood streaked, or dark
and foul-smelling • Abnormal vaginal bleeding, especially between menstrual periods, after intercourse or douching,
and after menopause, which gradually becomes heavier and longer Symptoms of advanced cervical cancer may include: •
Loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue • Pelvic, back, or leg pain • Leaking of urine or feces from the
vagina • Bone fracture Signs and Tests: Invasive cervical cancer often appears as an irregular fleshy growth,
often firm or hard, that tends to bleed easily. But even on pelvic examination by a doctor, pre-cancers and even early cancers
of the cervix are often not visible to the naked eye. Special tests are necessary to diagnose cervical pre-cancers and
cancers: • Pap smears screen for -- but do not diagnose -- cervical pre-cancers and cancers • Pap smears
that are collected or read by special methods (ThinPrep, AutoPap, PapNet) are now available that can be useful in certain
situations or in laboratories for quality control • Colposcopy is an examination of the cervix under magnification
in order to locate an abnormality of the cervix • Biopsy, colposcopy, or sometimes the use of LASER (a loop electrode)
or other instrument allows a diagnosis to be made • When cervical cancer is found, additional tests -- such as X-rays,
using an instrument to look into the bladder (cystoscopy), and rectum and colon (colonoscopy) -- are used to determine how
far the cancer has spread and what stage the disease is in How is Cervical Cancer Treated? Treatment of cervical cancer
depends on the type of cancer, the stage, the size and shape of the tumor, the age and general health of the woman, and her
desire for future childbearing.
In its earliest stages, the disease is curable by removing or destroying the pre-cancerous
or cancerous tissue. This can often be done in various ways without removing the uterus or damaging the cervix so that a woman
is still capable of having children.
In other cases, a simple removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) is performed, with
or without removal of the ovaries. In more advanced disease, a radical hysterectomy may be performed which removes the uterus
and much of the surrounding tissues, including internal lymph nodes. In the most extreme surgery, called a pelvic exenteration,
all of the organs of the pelvis, including the bladder and rectum, are removed.
Radiation or chemotherapy may be used
to treat cancer that has spread beyond the pelvis, or has recurred. There are two kinds of radiation treatment: a device loaded
with radioactive pellets which is placed into the vagina near the cancer and kept in place for a certain period of time, or
an external device which beams radiation into the target areas during visits to the radiotherapist. A variety of chemotherapeutic
drugs, or combinations of them, are used. Sometimes radiation and chemotherapy are used before or after surgery. Support
Groups: As with any serious disease, when cervical cancer or the methods used to treat it seriously affect a woman's life,
counseling or participation in support groups may help her to deal with these stresses. Expectations (prognosis): Many
factors influence the outcome of cervical cancer, the most important of which are: • The type of cancer •
The stage of the disease • The age and general physical condition of the woman The 5-year survival rates (the
chance of still being alive 5 years after the diagnosis) for women with cervical cancer who have appropriate treatment are
approximately: • 80 to 85% for tumors limited to the cervix and uterus • 60 to 80% when the upper part of
the vagina is involved • 30 to 50% for tumors beyond the cervix and upper vagina, but still in the pelvis •
14% when the cancer has invaded the bladder or rectum or has spread beyond the pelvis Without treatment, or when treatment
fails, cervical cancer is fatal within two years for about 95% of women. Complications: • Some types of cervical
cancer are less responsive to treatment. • There may be a recurrence of cancer. • Women who are treated
with methods that preserve the uterus are at high risk of recurrence. • Surgery and radiation can result in reduced
sexual function and altered bowel and bladder function. Calling your Health Care Provider: Call your health care provider
if you are a sexually active woman who has not had a pap smear in the past year; if you are at least 20 years old and have
never had a pelvic examination and Pap smear; if you think your mother may have taken DES when she was pregnant with you;
or if you have not had regular Pap smears as recommended below: • Every year initially, and for women over the age
of 35 • Every year for women who have had multiple sexual partners or a history of HPV or genital warts •
Every year for women who are taking oral contraceptives (birth control pills) • Every 2 to 3 years for some women
up to age 35 who have had three negative, consecutive Pap smears, or for women who have had a hysterectomy for non-cancer
reasons (if they are otherwise at low risk) • As often as is recommended after an abnormal pap smear • As
often as is recommended after evaluation and treatment of cervical pre-cancer or cancer
How can Cervical Cancer be
Prevented? There are two ways to prevent cervical cancer: 1. Prevent infections with HPV. 2. Get regular Pap smears
that will detect pre-cancerous conditions and HPV Both of these can be treated and stop the progression to cervical
cancer. The Pap smear test consists of cells wiped or brushed off the cervix and placed on a microscope slide. This is
usually done at the time of a pelvic examination, though not every pelvic exam includes a Pap smear. A woman should ask
her doctor or nurse if a Pap was performed, know when her last Pap smear was done and when her next Pap smear is due. Pap
smears are not painful, although there may be a second or two of discomfort when the cervix is touched for some women. Pap
smears are very effective in detecting pre-cancerous changes of the cervix. But part of their effectiveness depends on their
being obtained regularly, because often a single Pap smear will NOT show any abnormal cells even when dysplasia or cancer
is present. If the cervix appears abnormal, for example, a normal Pap smear is not enough. If a Pap smear suggests dysplasia
or if the cervix appears abnormal, the cervix is usually examined under magnification (colposcopy) and biopsies are taken.
These tiny pieces of cervical tissue, when examined in the laboratory, can show if a precancer or cancer is present. Precancers
are completely curable when followed up properly. Survival with CIS and even micro invasive cervical cancer is also nearly
100%. But the chances of being alive in 5 years falls steadily as the cancer advances into the nearby tissues, the bladder
and rectum, and other remote sites. To reduce the chances of cervical cancer, girls less than 18 years of age should avoid
sexual activity or always use condoms. HPV infection causes genital warts. These may be barely visible or several inches across. If
a woman sees warts on her partner's genitals, she should avoid intercourse. To further reduce the risk of cervical cancer,
women should limit the number of their sexual partners, avoid sexually promiscuous partners, and discontinue any tobacco use.
Condoms may help prevent the transmission of HPV. Annual pelvic examinations, including a pap smear, should begin when
a woman becomes sexually active, or by the age of 20 in a non-sexually active woman. All abnormal findings should be followed
up with colposcopy and biopsy.
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