CERVICAL CANCER

CANCER: A disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue.

Cervical Cancer is a serious disease that affect the cervix.

Many ladies and women are affected by this form of cancer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CERVIX

The lowest point of your uterus, where a baby grows during pregnancy, is called the cervix. It joins the opening of your vagina to your uterus and has a somewhat donut-like appearance. It’s covered in tissues made up of cells. These healthy cells are what can grow and change to precancer cells.

Cervical Cancer begins on the surface of the cervix. Cervical cells start to become precancerous, which is defined as “a generalized state associated with a significantly increased risk of cancer.” Precancerous cells can develop due to infections, inflammation or environmental exposure.

TYPES OF CERVICAL CANCER

1) Squamous cell carcinomas: These cancers of the skin are a kind of squamous cell carcinoma that arise from an excess of squamous cells in the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. Exposing your skin to the sun’s UV rays puts you at a high risk of getting skin cancer.

2) Adenocarcinomas: Adenocarcinoma is another type of cervical cancer. It begins to grow in the glands lining your organs. Cancers of the breast, stomach, prostate, lung, pancreas, and colon are common types of adenocarcinoma.

Squamous cell carcinomas account for 80% to 90% of cervical cancer cases, whereas adenocarcinomas make up 10% to 20%.

Every year, about 14,000 Americans receive a cervical cancer diagnosis. Cervical cancer most commonly affects people between the ages of 35 and 44. The average age at diagnosis is 50. Every year, about 4,000 people pass away from cervical cancer. The HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine and screenings have led to a decrease in this rate.

SYMPTOMS OF THE CERVICAL CANCER

Cervical Cancer is not known or recognized at its early stage because they don’t usually involve symptoms. The following are the early symptoms of cervical cancer:

Vagina bleeding after intercouse, between menstrual periods or after menopause.
Watery or bloody vagina discharge that can be accompanied with bad smell.
Menstrual period may be heavy and can take longer than normal

These symptoms are evident if the cancer has spread to nearby tissues or organs:

Painful urination and sometimes with blood in urine
Fatigue, loss of appetite and weight
Feeling ill
Diarrhea or pain or bleeding from your re tin while pooping
Pelvic/abdominal pain

It is best advised to see a gynecologist for examination if you experience abnormal vagina discharge or bleeding.

WHAT CAUSES OF CERVICAL CANCER

The majority of cervical cancers are brought on by the sexually transmitted virus HPV (Human Papillomavirus). Sexual contact, whether anal, oral, or vaginal, can transmit HPV, which can cause cancer. Due to their bodies’ ability to fight the virus, the majority of people will get HPV at some point in their lives without realizing it. On the other hand, the infection may transform your cervix’s cells into cancerous ones if your body is unable to fight it off.

DIAGNOSIS OF CERVICAL CANCER

Cervical cancer develops slowly and over many years. The cells in your cervix undergo numerous changes before becoming cancerous. The once normal cells in your cervix start to appear irregular or abnormal. These abnormal cells could become cancerous, disappear, or remain the same.

A Pap test used in routine gynecological screenings can identify most cases of cervical cancer. A Pap smear, also known as a Pap test, is a test that takes cervical cell samples. These cells are inspected for anomalies or indications of precancerous growths.

If the results of your Pap test are abnormal, more testing is required. This may involve an HPV test, a specialized examination that looks for HPV infection in the cells of your cervix. Cervical cancer is associated with specific types of HPV infection.

Your doctor may also examine your cervix and take tissue samples for a biopsy if they believe you might have cancer. The tissue can be extracted using a variety of methods, such as endocervical curettage or punch biopsy. In other cases, a wire loop or conization are used to gather tissues from the cervix for biopsy.

If the biopsy confirms cancer, further tests will determine whether the disease has spread (metastasized). These tests might include: