CERVICAL CANCER

Cervix is at the  neck of the womb and vagina. Cervical cancer is a cancer arising from the cervix. It is due to the abnormal growth of cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body.

Most women diagnosed with precancerous changes in the cervix are in their 20s and 30s, but the average age of women when they are diagnosed with cervical cancer is the mid 50s. This difference in the age at which precancerous changes are most frequently diagnosed and the age at which cancer is diagnosed highlights the slow progression of this disease and the reason why it can be prevented if adequate steps are taken.

Cervical cancer begins with abnormal changes in the cervical tissue. The risk of developing these abnormal changes is associated with infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). Also, early sexual contact, multiple sexual partners, and taking oral contraceptives (birth control pills) increase the risk of cervical cancer because they lead to greater exposure to HPV.

Forms of HPV, a virus whose different types cause skin warts, genital warts, and other abnormal skin disorders, have been shown to lead to many of the changes in cervical cells that may eventually lead to cancer. Certain types of HPV have also been linked to cancers involving the following:
*  Vulva.
*  Vagina.
*  Penis.
*  Anus.
*  Tongue.
*  Tonsils.
Genetic material that comes from certain forms of HPV (high-risk subtypes) has been found in cervical tissues that show cancerous or precancerous changes.

Risk factors  for  the  development of cervical cancer

1.  Women who have been diagnosed with HPV are more likely to develop a cervical cancer. Girls who begin sexual activity before age 16 or within a year of starting their menstrual periods are at high risk of developing cervical cancer.

2.  Cigarette smoking is another risk factor for the development of cervical cancer. The chemicals in cigarette smoke interact with the cells of the cervix, causing precancerous changes that may over time progress to cancer. The risk of cervical cancer in cigarette smokers is two to five times that of the general population.

3.  Oral contraceptives ("the pill"), especially if taken longer than five years, may increase the risk for cervical cancer because they reduce the use of condoms.

4.  The  greater your  number  of sexual  partners, the greater your  chance  of acquiring  HPV.

5.   A weak immune system is  likely to  develop  cervical cancer  if your  immune system is  weakened by  another  health condition and  you  have  HPV.


Types of  cervical cancer 
1.  Squamous  cell carcinoma:  this  begins in the  thin,  flat cells (squamous cells)  lining the outer part of the cervix which projects into the  vagina.  Most cervical cancer are squamous cell  carcinomas.
2.  Adenocarcinoma: this cancer begins in the  column-shaped glandular  cells that line the cervical  canal.

                     

                  

Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

As in many cancers, you may have no signs or symptoms of cervical cancer until it has progressed to a dangerous stage. They may include:

*  Abnormal vaginal bleeding (other than during menstruation).
*  Pelvic pain.
*  Pain during sexual intercourse.
*  Bleeding after sex may not be serious.
*  Abnormal vaginal discharge.
*  Kidney failure due to a urinary tract or bowel obstruction, when the cancer is advanced.