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Cervical cancer accounts for 2.5% of all cancers diagnosed in American women today. The cervix is the narrow neck of a woman's uterus, found just above the vagina. Nine out of ten cervical cancers initiate in the surface cells that line the cervix. In some women, the healthy cells enter a phase called dysplasia. These cells are not always cancerous but they can easily become so. Dysplasia is most likely to occur in women ages 25-35. Women who began having sexual intercourse before the age of 18, have had multiple partners, have had several pregnancies or have a history of sexually transmitted disease are more likely to develop dysplasia or cervical cancer.
When dysplastic cells become malignant, carcinoma in situ results. Carconoma in situ normally afflicts women between the ages of 30-40. It usually takes many years for dysplasia to become carcinoma in situ. Each year 55,000 new cases of carcinoma in situ are diagnosed.
When cancer cells multiply and spread to surrounding tissues, the bloodstream or lymphatic system can become infected. It takes months and even years for cervical cancer to become invasive cancer. Invasive cancer appears mostly in women between the ages of 40-60. Cases of invasive cancer have risen to 15,000 new diagnoses a year.
Because the progression of cervical cancer takes so long and with the advent of the Pap Smear, it is the easiest cancer to diagnose and cure. When caught early and even in its advanced stages, the cure rate and liklyhood of surviving at least five years is as high as 60%. Even when the cancer has spread to nearby organs the survival rate stays high.
Four out of every five cervical cancers are linked to sexually transmitted disease. Many women who have sexually transmitted diseases do not go on to develop cervical cancer, but not every woman with cervical cancer has a history of infection. Genetic factors also play a part in the determination of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer also seems more prevalent in women who smoke. Currently there is no scientific evidence that smoking causes cervical cancer. But researchers believe that smoking makes your immune system more susceptible to viral infections and other such illnesses. Women who have suppressed immune systems (because of disease or organ transplant) are more vulnerable to acquiring cervical cancer. It is aslo believed that women whose mothers took Diethylstilbestrol or (DES) while pregnant are more susceptible as well. DES was a drug prescribed to prevent miscarriage but is no longer made. Lastly, women who are more than 30lbs overweight (especially in the abdomen) and those taking birth control pills may be at a slightly higher risk.
Every woman should have an annual pelvic exam and Pap Smear. These two procedures detect cervical cancer 95% of the time, usually long before symptoms appear. In its early stages, cervical cancer has no detectable symptoms. When symptoms do appear they may include:
A watery or bloody dicharge.
Discharge is heavy or foul smelling.
Bleeding between periods.
Periods may be heavier or longer than normal.
If the cancer has spread to nearby organs, other symptoms may appear:
Difficulty in urinating.
Kidney failure.
Painful urination, with spotting.
A dull backache or swelling in the legs.
Pain or bleeding from the rectum.
Fatigue, loss of weight.
Loss of appetite.
A general feeling of illness.
If your Pap Smear is normal year after year your doctor may order the test every other year. But if your test is abnormal your doctor may first prescribe anti-biotics. A minor infection can cause an abnormal Pap Smear. If a second test is abnormal as well then your doctor may do a biopsy of the cervix tissue. If the tests confirm cancer it can easily be determined if it has spread to surrounding organs. Further tests include x-rays, blood and urine tests and liver and kidney function studies. If you have ever had a sexually transmitted disease tell your doctor. It will help him to determine the appropriate treatment.
Women with mild dysplasia should be regularly checked by a doctor. Those with carcinoma in situ usually need to be treated surgically. Tumors can be treated with radiation, removed with a scalpel or laser beam or controlled by freezing or chemical cauterization. If the cancer has spread deep into the cervix or other reproductive organs, a hysterectomy either partial or complete is usually performed. If the cancer has spread beyond the reproductive organs, radiation therapy and sometimes chemo therapy is used to follow up surgery. Any woman who has had dysplasia or carcinoma in situ should see a doctor regularly and have a pelvic exam and Pap Smear yearly.
Always make sure that you have a yearly exam. Make sure to discuss any changes or abnormalities with your doctor. Always follow up on any abnormal results.
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