Cervical Cancer: Overview
Cervical cancer is a type of gynecological cancer that starts in the cervix, the lower, narrow end of the uterus (womb). It can occur in people at any age and is more common among young women. It usually begins slowly over time, often with a sexually transmitted infection such as human papillomavirus or HPV.
Development of Cervical Cancer
It can also develop as a result of dysplasia, which is when the cells in the cervix change and start to become abnormal. These cells can eventually turn into cancerous tumors that spread beyond the cervix and into the surrounding tissues and organs of the pelvis.
Treatment Options
When the cancer is in the cervix, the usual treatment is surgery. This involves removing the entire cervix and sometimes other parts of the vagina. In more severe cases, the doctor may recommend a radical hysterectomy, which removes the cervix and uterus.
Radiation therapy, which uses high-powered energy beams to kill cancer cells, is another common form of treatment. It can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy and other methods.
Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that is given in cycles to kill cancer cells. It works best if it is given before the cancer grows. It can cause side effects such as hair loss and nausea.
A newer form of chemo called bevacizumab can help the immune system to fight the cancer by blocking blood vessels that feed it. This drug is given as a pill or injected into the vein.
Other treatments for cervical cancer include immunotherapy and palliative care. Palliative care doctors focus on easing symptoms of a serious illness and can work with your other medical providers to provide additional support and comfort.
Diagnosis and Screening
The choice of treatments is based on the stage of the disease when the diagnosis is made. Your doctor will discuss all your options with you and help you choose the treatment that is right for you.
Screening tests can help detect early signs of cervical cancer that might not have been noticed by a regular Pap test, which examines the cervix. These tests are usually done every five years or more, depending on your health history and sexual activity.
If you have a high risk for cervical cancer, your doctor might suggest screening more often. This can be a way to catch it before it progresses to a more serious stage and can increase the chance that you will survive the disease.
Routine Pap testing can find precancerous cells that could turn into cervical cancer without treatment. These are known as dysplasia and can be treated.
Biopsies can show the extent of the tumor and whether it has spread to other areas of the body, such as the lungs or lymph nodes. They can also help determine the number of cancerous cells.
Other diagnostic tests can reveal whether a woman has other conditions that might have contributed to the development of cervical cancer. These include a blood cell count, CT scan, and MRI.
