Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is cancer that starts in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus.

• Current immunization guidelines recommend
• Routine vaccination for girls ages 11 - 12 years. The vaccine should be administered in 3 doses, with the second and third doses administered 2 and 6 months after the first dose.
• Girls and women ages 13 - 26 who have not been previously immunized or who have not completed the full vaccine series should get vaccinated to catch up on missed doses
• Women should not get the vaccine during pregnancy.

• Worldwide third most common type of cancer in women.
• It starts as a pre-cancerous condition called dysplasia. This pre-cancerous condition can be detected by a Pap smear and is 100% treatable.
• Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV (human papilloma virus). HPV is a common virus that is spread through sexual intercourse.
• Having sex at an early age
  
  
  • Multiple sexual partners
  • Sexual partners who have multiple partners or who participate in high-risk sexual activities
  • Women whose mothers took the drug DES (diethylstilbestrol) during pregnancy in the early 1960s to prevent miscarriage
  • Weakened immune system

• Continuous vaginal discharge, which may be pale, watery, pink, brown, bloody, or foul-smelling
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding between periods, after intercourse, or after menopause
• Periods become heavier and last longer than usual
• Any bleeding after menopause
• Symptoms of advanced cervical:
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Pelvic pain
  • Back pain
  • Leg pain
  • Single swollen leg
  • Heavy bleeding from the vagina
  • Leaking of urine or feces from the vagina
  • Bone fractures

• Pap smears screen for pre-cancers and cancer. If abnormal changes are found, the cervix is usually examined under magnification. This is called colposcopy.
• Other tests may include:
  • Endocervical curettage (ECC) to examine the opening of the cervix
  • Cone biopsy
• If the woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer, following tests are done to see the spread of tumor
  • CT scan
  • Cystoscopy
  • MRI
  • Chest x-ray
  • Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)

• Treatment of cervical cancer depends on the stage of the cancer, the size and shape of the tumor, the age and general health of the woman.
• Types of surgery for early cervical cancer:
  • LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure) -- uses electricity to remove abnormal tissue
  • Cryotherapy -- freezes abnormal cells
  • Laser therapy -- uses light to burn abnormal tissue
• Radical hysterectomy -removes the uterus and much of the surrounding tissues, including internal lymph nodes and upper part of the vagina. In the most extreme surgery, called a pelvic exenteration, all of the organs of the pelvis, including the bladder and rectum, are removed.
• Radiation may be used to treat cancer that has spread beyond the pelvis, or cancer that has returned.
• Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer.
• Sometimes radiation and chemotherapy are used before or after surgery.

• If you:
  • Are a sexually active woman who has not had a Pap smear in the past year
  • Are at least 20 years old and have never had a pelvic examination and Pap smear

• Vaccine appears to prevent early-stage cervical cancer and precancerous lesions.
• Practicing safe sex (using condoms) also reduces your risk of HPV and other sexually-transmitted diseases.
• Getting regular Pap smears can help detect pre-cancerous changes, which can be treated before they turn into cervical cancer.
• Cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer so quit smoking.