Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that
occurs in the cervical cells - the lower part of the uterus that connects the
vagina. There are different strains of HPV, a sexually transmitted infection,
that play a role in causing most cases of cervical cancer.
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This article explains what
cervical cancer is, its causes and treatment methods.
When exposed to HPV, the woman's immune
system usually prevents the virus from harming the body, and in a small group
of women, however, the virus remains for years, which contributes to making
some cells on the surface of the cervix cancer cells. You can reduce the risk
of developing cervical cancer by conducting screening tests and receiving a
vaccine that protects against HPV infection.
Symptoms of cervical cancer:
Cervical cancer does not appear at any
early stage of any signs or symptoms.
Signs and symptoms of more advanced
cervical cancer include:
Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between
menstrual cycles or after menopause
Water secretions, or bloody vaginal
secretions may be heavy and have a foul odor
Pain in the pelvis or pain during sexual
intercourse
The time you need to visit your doctor:
You should make an appointment with your
doctor if you have any signs or symptoms of which you have reported.
Causes of cervical cancer:
Cervical cancer begins when the healthy
cells acquire a genetic change (a mutation) that turns them into abnormal
cells.
Healthy cells grow and multiply at a
specific rate, eventually ending at a specific time, but cancer cells grow and
multiply out of control, do not die, and the abnormal cells form a mass
(tumor), cancer cells invade nearby tissues and can spread elsewhere in the
body .
There is no obvious reason for cervical
cancer, but HPV certainly plays a role, as HPV is very common, and most women
with HIV do not develop cervical cancer, meaning that other factors - such as
your environment or style choices Your life - also determines whether it will
develop into cervical cancer.
Types of cervical cancer:
The type of cervical cancer that you have
helps determine the treatment, the main types of cervical cancer are:
1. Squamous cell carcinoma:
This type of cervical cancer begins in
thin, flat cells (squamous cells) lining the outer part of the cervix, and the
most common types of cervical cancer is squamous cell carcinoma.
2. Adenocarcinoma:
This type of cervical cancer begins in the
cells in the form of a glandular column that is on the cervical canal line.
Sometimes, both types of cells are involved in cervical cancer, and very rarely
cancer occurs in other cells of the cervix.
Risk factors in cervical
cancer:
Risk factors for cervical cancer include:
1. Early sexual activity:
Sex at an early age increases the risk of
HPV.
2. Other sexually transmitted
diseases:
The presence of other sexually transmitted
diseases - such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV / AIDS - increases
the risk of HPV infection.
3. Immune system weakness:
You may be more likely to develop cervical
cancer if your immune system is weak due to another health condition and you
have HPV.
4. Smoking:
Smoking is associated with cervical cancer.
Diagnosis of cervical cancer:
Cervical cancer, which is detected early,
has a great chance of treatment. Most guidelines suggest that women start cervical
cancer screening and pre-cancer changes after the age of 21.
Test tests include:
1. Door test:
During the examination of the door, your
doctor takes a sample of the cells from the cervix and rubbed, and then checked
in the laboratory to check for abnormalities.
Screening can detect the presence of
abnormal cells in the cervix, including cancer cells and cells that show
changes that increase the risk of cervical cancer.
2. DNA testing for HPV:
DNA testing for HPV involves testing cells
that are collected from the cervix for infection with any HPV types that are
likely to lead to cervical cancer, and this test may be an option for women
aged 30 and above or for For younger women a door test is done only.
3. Cone biopsy:
If cervical cancer is suspected, it is
likely that your doctor will start a thorough examination of the cervix, and
uses a special magnifying tool (vaginal telescope) to check for abnormal cells.
During a colposcopy examination, a doctor
is likely to take a sample of cervical cells for laboratory tests, and for
tissue, your doctor may use:
Punch biopsy, involving the use of sharp
tool to take small samples of cervical tissue.
Endoservical abrasion, which uses a small
tool, is a spoon-shaped instrument (korite) or a thin brush for scraping a
sample of cervical tissue.
If taking a biopsy by punching or
disturbing endoservical scraping, your doctor may perform one of the following
tests:
1. Electrical wire loop: which uses a thin,
low voltage electric wire to obtain a sample of tissue, and the sample is taken
under local anesthesia at the doctor's office.
2. Cone biopsy: This procedure allows the
doctor to obtain deeper layers of cervical cells to test the laboratory, where
a conical biopsy is performed in a hospital under general anesthesia.
4. Staging:
If your doctor decides that you have
cervical cancer, you will have more tests to determine the extent (stage) of
the cancer, as the cancer stage is a key factor in deciding on treatment.
Gradient tests include:
1. Imaging tests: Tests such as X-ray, CT
scan, MRI, and positron emission tomography help your doctor determine if the
cancer has spread outside the cervix.
2. Visual examination of the bladder and
rectum: Your doctor may use special tools to see inside the bladder and rectum.
Stages of cervical cancer include:
Stage 1: Cancer is confined to the cervix.
Stage 2: Cancer is present in the cervix and upper
part of the vagina.
Stage 3: Move the cancer to the bottom of the
vagina or internally to the side wall of the pelvis.
Stage 4: Spread of cancer to neighboring organs,
such as bladder or rectum, or spread to other areas of the body, such as lungs,
liver and bones.
Treatment of cervical cancer:
Cervical cancer treatment depends on
several factors, such as the stage of cancer, and other health problems that
may exist and the details of the patient.
Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a
combination of the three can be used.
1. Surgery:
Cervical cancer is usually treated at an
early stage by surgical removal of the uterus (hysterectomy), and hysterectomy
can be treated at an early stage of cervical cancer and prevent its recurrence,
but removal of the uterus makes it impossible to become pregnant.
Your doctor may recommend the
following:
Simple hysterectomy, where the cervix and
uterus are removed with cancer, and simple hysterectomy is usually only an
option at a very early stage of cervical cancer.
Radical hysterectomy. The cervix, uterus,
and part of the vagina and lymph nodes are removed in the area with cancer.
Surgery may be the treatment option of
minimal cervical cancer at an early stage.
Surgery that maintains the possibility of
pregnancy also may be an option, if you have cancer at a very early stage
without a lymph node injury.
2. Radiotherapy:
Radiation therapy uses high-energy energy
packages, such as x-rays or protons, to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy
can be used alone or with chemotherapy before surgery to shrink the tumor or
after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Radiation therapy can be
given:
Externally, by directing the radiation beam
to the affected area of the body (external radiation therapy)
Internally, by placing a device filled with
radioactive material inside the vagina, and left for only a few minutes
(massage therapy)
Menopausal women may stop having
menstruation and menopause begins as a result of radiotherapy, but if you are
interested in pregnancy after radiotherapy, ask your doctor about ways to keep
the ovary before starting treatment.
3. Chemotherapy:
Chemotherapy uses drugs, usually injected
intravenously, to kill cancer cells, and often low doses of chemotherapy are
prescribed with radiotherapy, because chemotherapy enhances the effects of
radiation therapy, higher doses of chemotherapy are used to control advanced
cervical cancer Which may not be treatable.
Care for cervical cancer
patients:
After completing the treatment, your doctor
will recommend a regular check-up. Ask your doctor how many times you need to
follow up.
1. Supporting care
(palliative):
Palliative care is a specialized medical
care that focuses on providing relief from pain and other symptoms of serious
illness, and palliative care workers work with you and with your family and
your doctors to provide an additional layer of support to complement ongoing
care.
When palliative care is used along with all
other appropriate treatments, people with cancer may feel better and live longer.
Palliative care is provided by a team of
doctors, nurses and other specially trained professionals. Palliative care
teams aim to improve the quality of life for people with cancer and their
families, and this type of care is offered along with therapeutic methods.
Adaptation and support for
cervical cancer patients:
No one can be prepared if he is diagnosed
with cancer. You can, however, try to manage the trauma and fear you may feel
by taking steps to control what can happen about this situation.
Everyone deals with the diagnosis of
cervical cancer in its own way, and over time you will discover what helps you
deal with it, and even then you can start to control by trying:
1. Learn enough about
cervical cancer to make care decisions about:
By writing down your questions and asking
them the following time with your doctor, get a friend or family member to come
with you to visit your doctor for a note, and ask your health care team for
more information.
2. Find someone to talk to:
You may feel comfortable discussing your
feelings with a friend or family member, or you may prefer to meet with an
official support group, and support groups are available for families of cancer
survivors.
3. Let people help you:
Cancer treatments can be stressful, so let
friends and family know what kinds of help will be most helpful to you.
4. Set reasonable goals:
Having goals helps you feel control and can
give you a sense of purpose, but you must choose the goals you can reach.
5. Take a long time for
yourself:
Eating well, relaxing and getting enough
rest can help fight stress and fatigue from cancer.
Prevention of cervical
cancer:
To reduce the risk of
cervical cancer:
Obtain vaccination against HPV. Vaccination
is available for girls and women between 9 and 26 years of age. The vaccine is
more effective if given to girls before they become sexually active.
Routine tests, where door tests can detect
cervical cancer, can be monitored or treated to prevent cervical cancer. Most
medical organizations suggest that women begin routine tests at the age of 21
and repeat every few years.
Avoid smoking. If you smoke, you should
stop him and get support from those who help you with this and tell you about
the long-term effects of smoking.
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