Cervical Cancer

Cervical Cancer

Outline

1. Introduction

What is cancer of the cervix?

Statistical evidence about cancer of the cervix?

2. Risk factors and preventions

3. Detection and Symptoms

4. Types of treatment

What Is Cervical Cancer

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb). The uterus is divided into two parts. The upper part or body of the uterus is where a fetus grows. The cervix connects the body of the uterus to the vagina (birth canal). The part of the cervix closest to the body of the uterus is called the endo-cervix. The part next to the vagina is the ecto-cervix.

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lining of the cervix. Cervical cancers do not form suddenly; there is a gradual change of normal cells within the cervix. Some women with pre-cancerous changes of the cervix will develop cancer. This usually takes several years but sometimes can happen in less than a year. For some women, pre-cancerous changes may go away without any treatment. More often, if these pre-cancers are treated, true cancers can be prevented.

Precancerous changes can be separated into several categories based on how the cells of the cervix look under a microscope. There are several systems for naming and describing these categories of potentially cancerous or pre-cancerous changes. There are two main types of cervical cancers: "squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. About 85%-90% of cervical cancers are squamous cells carcinomas. They begin in the ectocervix, most often at its border with the endocervix. The remaining 10%-15% of cervical cancers are adenocarcinomas. Cervical adenocarcinoma develops from the mucus-producing gland cells of the endocervix. Less commonly, cervical cancers have features of both squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. These are called adenosquamous carcinomas or mixed carcinomas.

"The American Cancer Society estimates that during 2000, about 12,800 cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. Some researchers estimate that noninvasive cervical cancer (carcinoma in situ) is about 4 times more common than invasive cervical cancer. About 4,600 women will die from cervical cancer in the United States during 2000. Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women. Between 1955 and 1992, the number of cervical cancer deaths in the United States declined by 74%. The main reason for this change is the increased use of the Pap test, a screening procedure that permits diagnosis of pre-invasive and early invasive cancer. The death rate continues to decline at a rate of about 2% a year. The 5-year relative survival rate for the earliest stage of invasive cervical cancer is 91%. The overall (all stages combined) 5-year survival rate for cervical cancer is about 70%. For cervical precancer the 5-year survival rate is nearly 100%. "(cite a source here)

Risk Factors

There are several factors that increase a woman's risk of developing cervical cancer. Women without any of these risk factors rarely develop cervical cancer. Although these risk factors increase the odds of developing cervical cancer, many women with these risks do not develop this disease. When a woman develops cervical cancer or pre-cancerous changes, it is not possible to say with certainty that a particular risk factor was the cause.

One risk factor of cancer is age; the average age of women newly diagnosed with cervical cancer is between 50 and 55 years. The risk of developing this cancer is very low among girls less than fifteen. This risk increases between the late teens and mid-thirties. Unlike many other cancers that rarely affect young adults, cervical cancer can affect young women in their twenties and even in their teens. Many older women do not realize that they have the highest risk of developing cervical cancer. (put quote somewhere in here)

The most common risk factor related to cervical cancer is infection by human papillomavirus. HPVs are a group of more than 70 types of viruses called papillomaviruses which cause warts, or papillomas. Certain HPV types can infect the female and male genital organs and the anal area. These HPV types are passed from one person to another during sexual contact. When HPV infects the skin of the external (outer) genital organs and anal area (around the opening of the intestinal tract), they often cause raised flaky warts. These may be barely visible or they may be several inches across. Two HPV types, HPV 6 and HPV 11, cause most genital warts. These rarely develop into cancer and are called "low risk" viruses. However, other sexually transmitted HPVs have been linked with genital or anal cancers in both men and women. These are called "high risk" HPV types and include HPV 16, HPV 18, HPV 33, HPV 35, HPV 45, as well as some others.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: HIV is the virus that causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Because this virus damages the body's immune system, it makes women more susceptible to HPV infections, which may increase the risk of cervical cancer. Scientists believe that the immune system is important in destroying cancer cells and slowing their growth and spread. In women with HIV infection, a cervical precancer might develop into an invasive cancer faster than it normally would. This is particularly true if her CD4 cell count is very low. The CD4 cells are the blood cells most affected by HIV.

Low socioeconomic status: Low socioeconomic status is also a risk factor for cervical cancer. Many people with low incomes do not have quick access to adequate health care services, including Pap tests and treatment of pre-cancerous cervical disease. Such women may also be undernourished, which may play a role in increasing their risk.

PREVENTIONS

The vast majority of cervical cancers can be prevented. Since the most common form of cervical cancer starts with preventable and easily detectable precancerous changes, there are two ways to prevent this disease. Avoiding risk factors can prevent most precancers of the cervix. Delaying onset of sexual intercourse if you are young can help avoid HPV infection. Limiting your number of sexual partners and avoiding sex with people who have had many other sexual partners decreases your risk of exposure to HPV. HPV infection does not always produce warts or other symptoms, so a person may be infected with, and pass on, HPV