Cervical Cancer Is A Treatable Cancer If Detected On Time.

Fast facts on cervical cancer

Here are some key points about cervical cancer. More detail and supporting information is in the main article.

Since cervical screening began in the U.K., cervical cancer rates have halved
In America, more than 11,000 women are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer each year
Having many sexual partners or becoming sexually active early is a risk factor

Survival rates are good if cervical cancer is caught early
Symptoms include bleeding between periods and after sex

Causes of cervical cancer
Image of HPV.
Around 70% of cervical cancer cases are caused by HPV.

Cancer is the result of the uncontrolled division of abnormal cells. Most of the cells in our body have a set lifespan; when they die, new cells are produced to replace them. Abnormal cells can have two problems:

They do not die
They continue dividing

This results in an excessive accumulation of cells which eventually form a lump - a tumor. Scientists are not completely sure why cells become cancerous.

However, there are some risk factors which are known to increase the risk of developing cervical cancer. These risk factors include:

HPV (human papillomavirus): a sexually transmitted virus. There are over 100 different types of HPVs, at least 13 of which can cause cervical cancer.
Many sexual partners or becoming sexually active early: Cervical cancer-causing HPV types are nearly always transmitted as a result of sexual contact with an infected individual. Women who have had many sexual partners generally have a higher risk of becoming infected with HPV, which raises their risk of developing cervical cancer.
Smoking: increases the risk of developing many cancers, including cervical cancer.
Weakened immune system: such as those with HIV/AIDS, or transplant recipients taking immunosuppressive medications.
Long-term mental stress: Women who experience high levels of stress over a sustained period may be less able to fight off HPV.
Giving birth at a very young age: Women who gave birth before the age of 17 are significantly more likely to develop cervical cancer compared with women who had their first baby when they were aged 25 or over.
Several pregnancies: Women who have had at least three children in separate pregnancies are more likely to develop cervical cancer compared with women who never had children.
Contraceptive pill: Long-term use of some common contraceptive pills slightly raises a woman's risk.
Other sexually transmitted diseases (STD): Women who become infected with chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer.
Socio-economic status: Studies in several countries have revealed that women in deprived areas have significantly higher rates of cervical cancer.

Symptoms of cervical cancer

Often, during the early stages of cervical cancer, people may experience no symptoms at all. That is why women should have regular cervical smear tests.

The most common symptoms are:

Bleeding between periods
Bleeding after sexual intercourse
Bleeding in post-menopausal women
Discomfort during sexual intercourse
Smelly vaginal discharge
Vaginal discharge tinged with blood
Pelvic pain

Tests and diagnosis

The earlier cervical cancer is diagnosed, the more successfully it can be treated. Regular cervical screening can save thousands of live every year.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises that the PAP test should be carried out at the same time as the HPV test. The College emphasized that this recommendation is just for women aged 30 years or more.
Smear test cotton swabs.
Experts believe that the majority of deaths from cervical cancer would be prevented if all women underwent cervical screening as recommended.
Cervical screening - LBC or Pap smear test

In the U.S., over 11,000 women are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer each year and about 4,000 die.

The majority of these deaths could be prevented if all women had undergone cervical screening.

U.S. authorities say a female should start screening at the age of 21, or within 3 years of her first sexual encounter - whichever occurs first.

Cervical screening does not detect cancer, it simply looks for abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix. If left untreated, some abnormal cells can eventually develop into cancer.
HPV DNA test

This test determines whether the patient is infected with any of the HPV types that are most likely to cause cervical cancer. This involves collecting cells from the cervix for lab testing.

The test can detect high-risk HPV strains in cell DNA before any cervix cell abnormalities appear.

If the patient experiences signs and symptoms of cervical cancer, or if the Pap test revealed abnormal cells, the patient might undergo additional tests: To know more about cervical cancer please click on the link below

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159821.php