Prevention is better than cure !
Cervical cancer can be hard to detect but it doesn’t cause many symptoms in its early stages. Regular screening is key for prevention.
Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cervix. The cervix is a hollow cylinder that connects the lower part of a woman’s uterus to her vagina. Most cervical cancers begin in cells on the surface of the cervix.
Signs and symptoms of stage 1 cervical cancer can include :
- Watery or bloody vaginal discharge that may be heavy and can have a foul odor.
- Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between menstrual periods or after menopause.
- Menstrual periods may be heavier and last longer than normal.
If cancer has spread to nearby tissues or organs ,symptoms are following:
- Difficult or painful urination , sometimes with blood in urine.
- Diarrhea , or pain or bleeding from your rectum
- Fatigue loss of Weight and appetite.
- A general feeling of illness.
- Dull backache
- Abdominal pain
Causes :
Cervical Cancers are caused by the virus HPV, a sexually transmitted infection. HPV spreads through sexual contact (anal, oral ,vaginal) and can lead to cancer. Most people will get HPV at some point in their lives.
HPV (Human Papillomavirus ) and cervical cancer :
There are more than 100 kinds of HPV and about a dozen of them have been shown to lead to cancer. Early detection of these types of HPV is key in preventing cervical cancer .Regular Screenings with your healthcare provider can help identify cell changes before the become cancer. the HPV vaccine can help prevent HPV infection by protecting you against the HPV that causes up to 90% of all cervical cancers.
How is cervical cancer diagnosed ?
Cervical cancer develops slowly and over many years. Before turning to cancer, the cells in your cervix go through a lot of changes. Regular gynecological screenings with a PAP TEST can detent most cases of cervical cancer.
PAP SMEAR TEST : During a pap test the gynecologic doctor gently scrapes the outside and inside of the cervix, taking sample of cells for testing.
The liquid -based cytology test ,often referred to as thin preparation, transfers a thin layer of cells onto a slide after removing blood or mucus from the sample. The sample is preserved so other tests can be done the same time.
HPV typing test : An HPV test is similar to a pap test . The is done on a sample of cells from the cervix. pap test results show abnormal changes to the cervix. Certain types or stains of HPV, Such as HPV 16 and HPV 18, are called high-risk HPV.
Radiation Therapy :
Radiation kills cancer cells using high-energy X-ray beams. it can be delivered through a machine outside the body. It can delivered from inside the body using a metal tube placed in the uterus or vagina.
Chemotherapy :
Chemotherapy uses anti -cancer ( cytotoxic ) drugs to destroy cancer cells. These drugs disrupt the way cancer cells grow and divide, but they also affect normal cells. you may have chemotherapy to treat cervical cancer with radiotherapy as your main treatment – this is called chemoradiation.
Cervical cancer stages :
After you’ve been diagnosed, your doctor will assign your cancer a stage. the stage tells whether the cancer has spread, and if so , how far it’s spread. staging your cancer can help your doctor find the right treatment for you.
Cervical cancer has 4 stages :
STAGE 1 : The cancer is small. it may have spread to the lymph nodes. it hasn’t spread to other parts of your body.
STAGE 2: The cancer is larges . It may have spread outside of the uterus and cervix or to the lymph nodes . it still hasn’t reached other parts of your body.
STAGE 3: The cancer has spread to the lower part of the vagina or to the pelvis. it may be blocking the ureters, the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, it hasn’t spread to other parts of your body .
STAGE 4 : The cancer may have spread outside of the pelvis to organs like your lungs, bones, or liver.
Cervical cancer preventions :
Boosting public awareness, access to information and services are key to prevention and control across the life course.
- Being vaccinated at age 9- 14 years is a very effective way to prevent HPV infection, cervical cancer and other HPV- related cancers.
- Screening from the age of 30 (25 years in women living with HIV) can detect cervical disease, which when treated , also prevents cervical cancer.
- At any age with symptoms or concerns , early detection followed by prompt quality treatment can cure cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer surgery :
Several different types of surgery treat cervical cancer, Which on your doctor recommends depends on how far the cancer has spread.
Cryosurgery freezes cancer cells with a probe placed in the cervix.
Hysterectomy removers the entire uterus and cervix. when the top of the vagina is also removed ,it’s called a radical hysterectomy.
Conization removes a cone-shaped section of the cervix using a surgical knife, laser of thin wire heated by electricity.
Pelvic exenteration may remove the uterus, vagina, bladder, rectum, and part of the colon, depending on where the cancer has spread.
Cervical cancer and Maternal complications of radiation therapy:
Recent studies suggest no increase in maternal radiation complication rates among pregnant patients over non – pregnant patients , reflecting the advent of newer radiation techniques and the avoidance of combining surgical procedures with radiation. A respective case- control study comparing pregnant and non pregnant patients receiving radiation therapy for invasive cervical cancer.
Targeted and immunotherapy drugs for cervical cancer :
You might have targeted and immunotherapy drugs as part of your treatment for cervical cancer.
Targeted cancer drugs work by targeting the differences in cancer cells that help them to grow and survive.
immunotherapy uses our immune system to fight cancer. it works by helping the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells.
When you might have targeted and immunotherapy drugs :
- The type of cervical cancer you have
- how far the cancer has grown (the stage )
- treatment you may have already had
- whether your cancer has certain proteins
Prognosis :
The prognosis for stage I squamous cell cervical carcinoma in the pregnant patient is similar to that of non-pregnant women. For example , on study with 49 patients found a five year survival rate of 88% ,which compares well with the generally accepted rate of 85% in the non-pregnant population.
On this cervical cancer awareness month , the messages are clear.
Get informed : find out the facts about cervical cancer and the human papilloma virus (HPV) that caused it . Help educate other women in your life too.
Get screened: Cervical cancer screening typically starts at age 30 and its repeated periodically.
Get vaccinated : The HPV, vaccine is given in 2 doses that should begin when a girl is between 9 and 14 years old. ल;