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Cervical cancer is not
as common as other cancers that affect women.
Since the 1940s, when the Pap test was first introduced,
the death rate for cervical cancer has declined
by nearly 75 percent. This disease is almost 100
percent curable when it is diagnosed in its early
stages and treated promptly.
The cervix is the narrow end of the uterus an
inch long that opens into the upper part of the
vagina. Lined with mucous membrane similar to
that found inside the mouth, the cervix is made
up of connective tissue. This tiny passage is
laced with a network of nerves that respond to
pressure by sending electrical messages to the
brain and spinal cord. Several weeks prior to
labor and childbirth, as pressure from the uterus
grows, the cervix thins and begins to expand-or
dilate-to accommodate the movement of the baby
through the birth canal.
Cervical cancer usually develops over a long period
of time. At the outset, formerly healthy cells
in the cervix begin to develop abnormally for
some reason.
Here are the stages of progression.
Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)
- It is also called cervical dysplasia, CIN is
not cancer but these are some of the cellular
changes that may develop into cancer in some women.
A Pap test detects these abnormal changes. However,
no test can predict whether CIN will develop into
cancer, which is why early detection and treatment
of any abnormality is so important.
Cervical dysplasia is a fairly common condition;
most of the women are diagnosed with it. Increasingly,
women are developing cervical dysplasia at younger
ages.
Noninvasive Carcinoma - A very early form
of cervical cancer is known as carcinoma. It also
may be called noninvasive carcinoma. This abnormality
involves only the top layer of cervical cells,
not deeper layers of tissue in the cervix or elsewhere
in the reproductive tract. Without treatment,
carcinoma usually will develop into invasive cervical
cancer. Carcinoma occurs most often in women between
30 and 40 years of age.
Invasive Cervical Cancer - At this stage,
cancer has penetrated deep into the cervix and
possibly into neighboring tissues and organs.
Invasive cervical cancer is nearly 100 percent
curable when diagnosed early and treated promptly.
However, when the disease has spread outside the
reproductive tract, it can be effectively treated
in only 5 percent of cases. Invasive cervical
cancer occurs most frequently in women between
the ages of 40 and 60.
Some of the most common reasons which can lead
to this type of cancer are -
Cigarette smoking. Women who smoke found
chemicals from cigarettes and cigarette smoke
in the cervical tissue. These chemicals may damage
cervical cells and weaken their ability to fight
off infection, as well as make them more unprotected
to abnormal development. The exact mechanism linking
cigarette smoking and cervical cancer has not
been established, however.
Early sexual activity. Women who have sex
at an early age may be more susceptible to cervical
cancer than other women. One reason for this risk
is that the developing cells in the cervix of
a young woman are more fragile than the mature
cervical cells of older women.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Cervical
dysplasia may develop after a sexually transmitted
infection. Herpes simplex virus type II, a common
STD, was once suspected as a cause of cervical
dysplasia. However, research has shown that this
virus cannot change normal cells into abnormal
ones. Although the link between a specific STD
and cervical cancer has yet to be identified,
these diseases are believed to increase overall
risk. Indeed, the connection between HIV (the
AIDS virus) and cervical cancer is so strong that
women with the virus are now advised to get a
Pap test every 6 months.
Women with multiple partners have a greater chance
of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
Teenagers are especially at risk for STDs, including
human papilloma virus (HPV) and herpes. Even a
woman with only one partner can still be at risk
for STDs if her partner has had many others. Several
STDs, including syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia,
and HIV are increasing at alarming rates in the
U.S. teen population.
Human papilloma virus (HPV) There are 60
known types of this sexually transmitted virus,
but only a few can cause cells to become cancerous.
One form of HPV produces genital warts and also
is suspected of causing the cellular changes that
may lead to cervical cancer. Up to 90 percent
of cervical cancers show evidence of HPV infection.
On the other hand, many women are diagnosed with
HPV but never develop dysplasia or cervical cancer.
The symptoms caused by HPV can be treated, but
the virus itself cannot be "cured." Symptoms often
recur after treatment. If your doctor diagnoses
HPV but finds no dysplasia, aggressive treatment
is not necessary.
Age The risk of cervical cancer rises with
age and, when first diagnosed, cervical cancer
in older women tends to be more advanced.
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