Kay Kay Healthcare Ltd.
CERVICAL CANCER
SYMPTOMS
In its early stages, cervical cancer causes no pain or other symptoms. The first identifiable symptoms of the disease are likely to include:
• Watery or bloody vaginal discharge, sometimes heavy and foul smelling.
• Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between menstrual periods, or after menopause; menstrual periods may be heavier and last longer than normal.
If the cancer has spread to nearby tissues, symptoms may include:
Difficult urination and possible kidney failure.
Painful urination, sometimes with blood in urine.
Dull or backache or swelling in the legs.
Diarrhea, or pain or bleeding from the rectum upon defecation.
Fatigue, loss of weight and appetite, and general feeling of illness.
WHAT IS CERVICAL CANCER
The cervix is the narrow neck of woman’s uterus, just above the vagina. More than 9 out of 10 cervical cancers originate in surface cells lining the cervix. In some woman, healthy cells enter an abnormal phase called dysplasia; although these cells are not cancerous, they can become so. When dysplastic turn malignant, the first detectable stage is carcinoma in situ. As cancer cells multiply, some may invade the lining of the cervix itself, spread to nearby tissues, and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Just as it usually takes many years for dysplasia to become carcinoma in situ, it often takes month or years for a cervical cancer to become invasive. For this reason, and because of Pap smear a highly effective, widely available screening test cervical cancer is one of the least threatening kinds. When caught early, it is curable; even in advance cases, the chance of surviving at least five years, with likelihood of full cure, is still better than 60 percent. Only when the cancer spread to distant organs does prognosis for five years survival dip below 20 percent. Dysplasia is most likely to occur in women between the age of 25 to 35, carcinoma in situ between age of 30 and 40, and invasive cancer between ages 40 and 60. Cervical cancer constitutes about 2.5 percent of all cancers afflicting American women; each year some 55000 cases of carcinoma in situ and about 15000 cases of invasive cancer are diagnosed.
CAUSES
Four out of five cervical cancer cases are linked to sexually transmitted viral infections, such as genital herpes and a few of the 60 or so human papilloma viruses that often cause genital warts. But many women who have a sexually transmitted viral infection do not develop cervical cancer, while others who get cancer have never had such infections. Women who began have sexual intercourse before age 18, have had multiple sex partners, have had several full-terms pregnancies, or have history of sexually transmitted disease are most likely to develop dysplasia or cervical cancer. Apparently genetic makeup and other factors are also part of the complex interaction that causes cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is also more common among women who smoke. Many researchers doubt that smoking causes cervical cancer on its own but feel that it may be may heighten ones vulnerability to other illness, such as viral infections. Women whose immune system is severally suppressed by other disease, by treatment, or by organ transplants are more vulnerable to cervical cancer, as are women whose mother took diethylstilbestrol while pregnant; DES is a drug once prescribed to prevent miscarriage but no longer marketed. Women who are obese or who use birth control pills may be at slightly increase risk.
DIAGNOSTIC AND TEST PROCEDURES
Every woman should have an annual pelvic exam and pap smear, which test a cervical cell sample for abnormalities. Together these procedure detect cervical cancer 95 percent of the time, often long before the disease produce symptoms. If your pap smear is abnormal, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics and tests you again, since a minor infection can affect the results. If the second testy is abnormal, your doctor will usually examine your cervix and take tissue sample of any apparent abnormality for biopsy. If the biopsy confirms the cancer, further tests will determine whether the disease has spread. Theses test might include x-rays of the bladder, rectum, bowels, and abdominal cavity; blood and urine tests; and liver kidney functions studies. If you have ever had a sexually transmitted viral infection, your doctor will need to know what strain you were infected with to determine the most appropriate treatment for the cervical cancer.
TREATMENT
Most cases of cervical cancer are cured or controlled by a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. A variety of alternative therapies might prove useful in easing side effects and improving overall health. See cancer for more information on therapies.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
Women with genital warts and mild dysplasia should be carefully monitored for signs of cancer but usually require no immediate treatment. Carcinoma in situ, severe dysplasia and mildly invasive cancers are normally treated surgically. Superficial tumors can be treated with radiation but are more often removed with a scalpel, a laser beam, controlled freezing, or cauterization. If cancer has advanced deep into the cervix or spread to neighboring organs, hysterectomy removal of the cervix, utters, and possibly other organs is imperative. If cancer spreads beyond the pelvic area, radiation therapy and perhaps chemotherapy may relieve symptoms and suppress the spread but rarely result in cure. Any woman has had dysplasia or cervical cancer should see her doctor regularly for at least five years after treatment to check for recurrence.
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES
One promising field of cancer prevention research is nutrition and diet. Some evidence suggests that folic acid and beta carotene help ward off precancerous and cancerous conditions of the cervix. Patients undergoing radiation therapy may benefit from supplements of vitamin B6.
PREVENTION
If you are a woman over age 18, or are under 18 and sexually active, have a pelvic exam and pap smear yearly. If your pap smear is normal several years in a row, your doctor may recommend the test less often.
If you practice contraception, consider barrier or spermicidal contraceptives, which according to one study may lower the risk of cervical cancer compared with hormone based contraceptives.
If you have more than one sexual partner, be sure to use condoms to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases.
CERVICAL CANCER
SYMPTOMS
In its early stages, cervical cancer causes no pain or other symptoms. The first identifiable symptoms of the disease are likely to include:
• Watery or bloody vaginal discharge, sometimes heavy and foul smelling.
• Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between menstrual periods, or after menopause; menstrual periods may be heavier and last longer than normal.
If the cancer has spread to nearby tissues, symptoms may include:
Difficult urination and possible kidney failure.
Painful urination, sometimes with blood in urine.
Dull or backache or swelling in the legs.
Diarrhea, or pain or bleeding from the rectum upon defecation.
Fatigue, loss of weight and appetite, and general feeling of illness.
WHAT IS CERVICAL CANCER
The cervix is the narrow neck of woman’s uterus, just above the vagina. More than 9 out of 10 cervical cancers originate in surface cells lining the cervix. In some woman, healthy cells enter an abnormal phase called dysplasia; although these cells are not cancerous, they can become so. When dysplastic turn malignant, the first detectable stage is carcinoma in situ. As cancer cells multiply, some may invade the lining of the cervix itself, spread to nearby tissues, and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Just as it usually takes many years for dysplasia to become carcinoma in situ, it often takes month or years for a cervical cancer to become invasive. For this reason, and because of Pap smear a highly effective, widely available screening test cervical cancer is one of the least threatening kinds. When caught early, it is curable; even in advance cases, the chance of surviving at least five years, with likelihood of full cure, is still better than 60 percent. Only when the cancer spread to distant organs does prognosis for five years survival dip below 20 percent. Dysplasia is most likely to occur in women between the age of 25 to 35, carcinoma in situ between age of 30 and 40, and invasive cancer between ages 40 and 60. Cervical cancer constitutes about 2.5 percent of all cancers afflicting American women; each year some 55000 cases of carcinoma in situ and about 15000 cases of invasive cancer are diagnosed.
CAUSES
Four out of five cervical cancer cases are linked to sexually transmitted viral infections, such as genital herpes and a few of the 60 or so human papilloma viruses that often cause genital warts. But many women who have a sexually transmitted viral infection do not develop cervical cancer, while others who get cancer have never had such infections. Women who began have sexual intercourse before age 18, have had multiple sex partners, have had several full-terms pregnancies, or have history of sexually transmitted disease are most likely to develop dysplasia or cervical cancer. Apparently genetic makeup and other factors are also part of the complex interaction that causes cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is also more common among women who smoke. Many researchers doubt that smoking causes cervical cancer on its own but feel that it may be may heighten ones vulnerability to other illness, such as viral infections. Women whose immune system is severally suppressed by other disease, by treatment, or by organ transplants are more vulnerable to cervical cancer, as are women whose mother took diethylstilbestrol while pregnant; DES is a drug once prescribed to prevent miscarriage but no longer marketed. Women who are obese or who use birth control pills may be at slightly increase risk.
DIAGNOSTIC AND TEST PROCEDURES
Every woman should have an annual pelvic exam and pap smear, which test a cervical cell sample for abnormalities. Together these procedure detect cervical cancer 95 percent of the time, often long before the disease produce symptoms. If your pap smear is abnormal, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics and tests you again, since a minor infection can affect the results. If the second testy is abnormal, your doctor will usually examine your cervix and take tissue sample of any apparent abnormality for biopsy. If the biopsy confirms the cancer, further tests will determine whether the disease has spread. Theses test might include x-rays of the bladder, rectum, bowels, and abdominal cavity; blood and urine tests; and liver kidney functions studies. If you have ever had a sexually transmitted viral infection, your doctor will need to know what strain you were infected with to determine the most appropriate treatment for the cervical cancer.
TREATMENT
Most cases of cervical cancer are cured or controlled by a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. A variety of alternative therapies might prove useful in easing side effects and improving overall health. See cancer for more information on therapies.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
Women with genital warts and mild dysplasia should be carefully monitored for signs of cancer but usually require no immediate treatment. Carcinoma in situ, severe dysplasia and mildly invasive cancers are normally treated surgically. Superficial tumors can be treated with radiation but are more often removed with a scalpel, a laser beam, controlled freezing, or cauterization. If cancer has advanced deep into the cervix or spread to neighboring organs, hysterectomy removal of the cervix, utters, and possibly other organs is imperative. If cancer spreads beyond the pelvic area, radiation therapy and perhaps chemotherapy may relieve symptoms and suppress the spread but rarely result in cure. Any woman has had dysplasia or cervical cancer should see her doctor regularly for at least five years after treatment to check for recurrence.
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES
One promising field of cancer prevention research is nutrition and diet. Some evidence suggests that folic acid and beta carotene help ward off precancerous and cancerous conditions of the cervix. Patients undergoing radiation therapy may benefit from supplements of vitamin B6.
PREVENTION
If you are a woman over age 18, or are under 18 and sexually active, have a pelvic exam and pap smear yearly. If your pap smear is normal several years in a row, your doctor may recommend the test less often.
If you practice contraception, consider barrier or spermicidal contraceptives, which according to one study may lower the risk of cervical cancer compared with hormone based contraceptives.
If you have more than one sexual partner, be sure to use condoms to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases.
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