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Definition:
Cervical cancer is a disease in which cancer cells grow in the
cervix. The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus
(womb) that connects the uterus with the vagina.
Cancer occurs
when cells in the body (in this case cervix cells) divide
without control or order. Normally, cells divide in a regulated
manner. If cells keep dividing uncontrollably when new cells are
not needed, a mass of tissue forms, called a growth or tumor.
The term cancer refers to malignant tumors, which can invade
nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. A benign
tumor does not invade or spread.
Causes:
The cause of cervical cancer is unknown. Research suggests that
some sexually transmitted viruses can cause cells in the cervix
to begin the series of changes that can lead to cancer.
Risk
Factors: A risk factor is something that increases
your chance of getting a disease or condition. Scientists
believe that cervical cancer develops when several risk factors
act together.
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Infection of
the cervix with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually
transmitted disease (STD) and the primary risk factor for
cervical cancer
-
Sex:
Female
-
Age: over 25
years old
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Multiple
sexual partners
-
Sexual
activity prior to age 18
-
First
pregnancy prior to age 20
-
History of
not having Pap tests
-
Smoking
History of cervical dysplasia (a precancerous
condition)
-
Being a woman
whose mother took the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) during
pregnancy
-
History of
AIDS or infection with HIV
Symptoms:
Symptoms of cervical cancer usually do not appear until the
abnormal cells become cancerous and invade nearby tissue. When
this happens, the most common symptom is abnormal bleeding,
which may include:
-
Bleeding
between regular menstrual periods
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Bleeding
after sexual intercourse, douching, or a pelvic exam (most
common)
-
Menstrual
bleeding that lasts longer and is heavier than usual
-
Bleeding
after menopause Increased vaginal discharge that is not
blood
Note: These
symptoms may also be caused by other, less serious health
conditions. A woman experiencing these symptoms should see her
doctor.
Diagnosis:
Tests to diagnose cervical cancer include:
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Pap Test -
detects cervical cancer as well as precancerous tissues in
the cervix, called cervical dysplasia. The doctor collects a
sample of cells from the cervix to be tested. The
performance of an annual Pap smear or test is the single
greatest success in the reduction of cancer in developing
countries. Cervical cancer is the 2nd leading cause of
cancer death in women worldwide, but only 10,500 American
women will develop invasive cervical cancer in 2004, and
only 3,900 will die of their disease. It is imperative that
a sexually active woman receives an annual Pap test, and she
follows up with any abnormal results by getting future tests
as described by her physician.
New studies
indicate that women over the age of 30 who have had three or
more normal annual Pap tests can safely lengthen the Pap
screening internal to once every 3 years.
Treatment:
Once cervical cancer is found, staging tests are performed to
find out if the cancer has spread and, if so, to what extent.
Treatments for cervical cancer depend on the stage of the
cancer.
Treatments
include:
-
Surgery -
surgical removal of a cancerous tumor and nearby tissues,
and possibly nearby lymph nodes. If the cancer has reached
deeper layers of the cervix but has not spread beyond the
cervix, the doctor may remove only the tumor. In some cases,
a hysterectomy (removal of the entire uterus) is necessary;
sometimes the ovaries and fallopian tubes also are removed.
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Radiation
Therapy (Radiotherapy) - the use of radiation to kill cancer
cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may be:
-
External
Radiation Therapy - radiation directed at the tumor from a
source outside the body.
-
Internal
Radiation Therapy - radioactive materials placed into the
cervix in or near the cancer cells. It is very important
that you receive your internal radiation therapy from an
experienced radiation oncologist. You should inquire as to
how many cases that doctor performs annually, and whether
you will receive high dose rate or low dose rate therapy.
-
Chemotherapy
- the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be
given in many forms including: pill, injection, and via a
catheter. The drugs enter the bloodstream and travel through
the body killing mostly cancer cells, but also some healthy
cells. Chemotherapy alone is never used to cure cervical
cancer. It is used alone only when the cancer can no longer
be cured, and then the chemotherapy is used to help control
symptoms (pain and bleeding).
-
Biological
Therapy - the use of medications or substances made by the
body to increase or restore the body's natural defenses
against cancer. Also called biological response modifier (BRM)
therapy.
-
Chemoradiotherapy
or combined modality therapy- for most cervical cancers,
considered anything but the earliest staged cancers,
chemotherapy and radiation therapy together has been shown
to cure more women than radiation therapy alone.
Prevention:
Finding and treating precancerous tissue in the cervix is the
most effective way to prevent cervical cancer. Talk with your
doctor about an appropriate schedule of check-ups.
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