What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells on the cervix grow out of control. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Cervical cancer can often be cured when it’s found early. It is usually found at a very early stage through a Pap test.
What causes cervical cancer?
Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. You get HPV by having sex with someone who has it. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms.You can have HPV for years and not know it. It stays in your body and can lead to cervical cancer years after you were infected. This is why it is important for you to have regular Pap tests. A Pap test can find changes in cervical cells before they turn into cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you may prevent cervical cancer.
How is cervical cancer diagnosed?
As part of your regular pelvic exam, you should have a Pap test. During a Pap test the doctor scrapes a small sample of cells from the surface of the cervix to look for cell changes. If a Pap test shows abnormal cell changes, your doctor may do other tests to look for precancerous or cancer cells on your cervix.Your doctor may also do a Pap test and take a sample of tissue (biopsy) if you have symptoms of cervical cancer, such as bleeding after sex.
Prevention
Have regular Pap test screening
The Pap test is the most effective screening test for cervical cancer. Pap tests done at regular intervals almost always detect cervical cell changes before the changes become cancerous. Regular screening for and treatment of cervical cell abnormalities can prevent the abnormal cell changes from developing into cancer. It is important to follow up with your doctor after any abnormal Pap test result.
Vaccine
In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Gardasil (HPV vaccine). It protects against four types of HPV, which together cause most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. Three shots are given over 6 months. Gardasil is recommended for girls 11 to 12 years old. The immunization is also recommended for females 13 to 26 years old who did not receive it when they were younger. It can be given to girls as young as 9 years old. Studies show that the vaccine is safe and works well to help prevent cervical cancer and genital warts.
Reduce your risk of a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) often cause abnormal Pap tests and can lead to other serious health problems. Preventing an STD is easier than treating an infection after it occurs. The most common cause of cervical cancer is infection with a high-risk type of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Since the HPV virus may remain in body cells for life, abnormal cervical cell changes that cause cervical cancer can be the result of either you or your partner having had an HPV infection years earlier. HPV infection usually does not cause symptoms, so you or your partner may not be aware of a current or past HPV infection.
Treatment
The choice of treatment and the long-term outcome (prognosis) of cervical cancer depends on the type and stage of cancer. Your age, overall health, quality of life, and desire to be able to have children must also be considered. Treatment choices for cervical cancer may be a single therapy or a combination of therapies, such as:
- Cone biopsy to remove the cancer.
- Simple hysterectomy to remove the uterus and cervix.
- Modified radical hysterectomy and lymph node dissection to remove the cancer.
- Radiation therapy, which uses high-dose X-rays or implants in the vaginal cavity to kill cancer cells.
- Chemotherapy, which uses medicines to kill cancer cells.Radical trachelectomy to remove the cervix and the pelvic lymph nodes (lymph node dissection). But the uterus is left in place. This treatment is done less often.Chemotherapy may be given at the same time as radiation therapy (chemoradiation). Studies show that chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation treatment (chemoradiation) improves survival rates in stages IIB, IIIA, IIIB and IVA cervical cancer without significantly increasing the side effects of either treatment. Chemoradiation may also improve survival rates in stages IB and IIA for women with large tumors. Compared with radiation alone, chemoradiation improves survival. It is usually used as the primary therapy or after a hysterectomy.
Microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma (stage IA1) with minimal invasion into deeper cell layers is the most treatable stage with the highest survival rates. This stage is treated with a cone biopsy or loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) or simple hysterectomy; 5-year survival rates are close to 100%.
