Cervical Cancer And Symptoms

Other names Cervical Cancer, Cervical cancer. The cervix or uterine cervix is the lower part of the uterus, the place where the baby grows during pregnancy. Cervical cancer is caused by several types of a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus is spread by sexual contact. The body of most women are able to fight HPV infection. But sometimes the virus leads to cancer. If you smoke, have many children, has used birth control pills for long periods or have an HPV infection is more risk of that.

At first, cervical cancer may not cause symptoms, but later may have pelvic pain or vaginal bleeding. Usually takes several years for normal cells of the cervix into cancer cells. The doctor can find abnormal cells or with a vaginal smear cytology (Pap), an examination of cervical cells under a microscope. Getting regular Pap tests can detect and treat changing cells before they turn into cancer.

Detection & Symptoms:

It can detect cervical cancer in its early stages….?
In general, cervical cancer can be detected in its early stages by regular Pap tests. Because the Pap smears are more common, pre-invasive lesions (pre-cancers) of the cervix are detected far more frequently than invasive cancer. Be alert to any sign and symptom of cervical cancer (see “How is it diagnosed cervical cancer?”) Can help avoid unnecessary delays in diagnosis. Detection in early stage greatly improves the chances of successful treatment and prevent any changes in cervical cells become cancerous.
Deaths due to cervical cancer are more common in countries where women can not be done routinely Papanicolaou tests. In fact, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in many developing countries. These cancers are usually diagnosed at a late stage (invasive), instead of pre-cancerous changes or early stages.

How are diagnosed with cervical cancer………?

Signs And Symptoms Of Cervical Cancer

Women with cervical cancer in early stage and pre-cancers usually have no symptoms. Symptoms often do not begin until a cancer becomes invasive and grows into the adjacent tissue. When this happens, the most common symptoms are:

  1. Abnormal vaginal bleeding, as bleeding after sexual (vaginal intercourse), bleeding after menopause, bleeding and spotting between periods and menstrual periods lasting longer, or bleeding more profuse than usual. Bleeding after a shower or after vaginal pelvic examination is a common symptom of cervical cancer, not pre-cancer.
  2. An unusual vaginal discharge (the discharge may contain some blood and may be present between periods or after menopause.
  3. Pain during sex (intercourse).These signs and symptoms can also be caused by conditions other than cervical cancer. For example, an infection can cause pain or, rarely, bleeding. Still, if you have any of these signs or other suspicious symptoms, it is important to see your doctor immediately. Ignoring symptoms can allow the cancer to progress to a more advanced stage and reduce their chances of effective treatment.

The best thing is to not wait until symptoms appear. Get Pap tests and pelvic exams regularly.
Often, your doctor can treat pre-cancers. If it is suspected that the cancer is invasive, your doctor will refer you to a gynecologist oncologist, a doctor who specializes in cancers of the female reproductive system. Some patients also will be referred to a radiation oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with radiation.

  • Diagnostic tests for cervical cancer, Many of the diagnostic tests that are described below are not necessary for each patient. The decision to use these tests is based on the results of physical examination and biopsy.
  • Clinical history and physical examination, The first step that will take your medical consultation is to make a personal and family medical history complete. This includes information on risk factors and symptoms of cervical cancer. A complete physical examination to help assess your overall health. In addition, special attention to the lymph nodes for evidence of metastasis (spread of cancer).
  • Cystoscopy, examination under anesthesia and Proctoscope,These procedures are done more frequently in women with large tumors. They are not needed if cancer is detected early.

At cystoscopy the bladder is inserted into the urethra through a thin tube with a lens and a light. This allows the doctor to examine your bladder and urethra to see if the cancer is growing in these areas. Can be extracted from biopsy samples during cystoscopy testing pathological (microscopic). Cystoscopy can be done using local anesthesia, but some patients may require general anesthesia. Your doctor will tell you what to expect before and after the procedure.
The Proctoscope is a visual inspection of the rectum through a lighted tube to determine if cervical cancer has spread to the rectum.
Your doctor may also perform a pelvic exam while you are under anesthesia to determine if the cancer has spread beyond the cervix.

How are classified by stage cervical cancer…….?

The classification by stages (stages) is the process of determining how far the cancer has spread. Collecting the information on the examinations and tests to determine the size of tumor, how far it has penetrated the tissues inside or around the cervix and spread to lymph nodes or other distant organs (metastasis). This is an important process because the stage of cancer is the most important factor to select the appropriate treatment plan.

A classification system is a phased approach using the team that serves your cancer to summarize the degree of spread of cancer. Cervical cancer is classified by stages through the Classification System FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics). This system classifies the disease into stages 0 to IV, based on a more clinical surgery. This means that the spread of the disease is assessed by physical examination of the doctor and some tests in some cases, such as cystoscopy and Proctoscope.

Surgery may reveal that the cancer has spread more than doctors originally thought. This new information could change the treatment plan, but does not change the FIGO stage of the patient. This classification system is different from the systems of other cancers. Systems for other cancers take into account whether the cancer has spread to local lymph nodes. The FIGO system does not take this into account, although we know that the prognosis is worse if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes.

1. Stage 0: Cancer cells are very superficial (affecting only the surface), and are found only in the layer of cells that line the cervix. Moreover, these cells have not grown (invaded) into the deeper tissues of the cervix. The stage is also called carcinoma in situ (CIS) or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade III.

2. Stage I: In this stage the cancer has invaded the cervix, but has not spread elsewhere.

  • Stage IA  : This is the earliest form of stage I. There is a very small amount of cancer that is only visible under a microscope.
  • Stage IA1: Invasion area is less than 3 millimeters (about 1 / 8 inch) deep and less than 7 mm (about 1 / 4 inch) wide.
  • Stage IA2: The area is spread between 3 mm and 5 mm (about 1 / 5 inch) deep and less than 7 mm (about 1 / 4 inch) wide.
  • Stage IB  : this stage includes stage I cancers that can be seen without a microscope. This stage also includes cancerous tumors that can be viewed only with a microscope and have spread to more than 5 mm (about 1 / 5 inch) deep within the connective tissue of the cervix or have more than 7 mm wide.
  • Stage IB1: The cancer can be seen, but no more than 4 centimeters (about 1-3/5 inch).
  • Stage IB2: The cancer can be seen and has more than 4 centimeters.

3. Stage II: In this stage the cancer has grown beyond the cervix and uterus, but has   not spread to the walls of the pelvis or the lower part of the vagina.

  • Stage IIA: Cancer has spread to tissues near the cervix (parametrium). Can the cancer has risen to the top of the vagina.
  • Stage IIB: Cancer has spread to tissues surrounding the cervix.

4. Stage III: Cancer has spread to the bottom of the vagina or pelvic wall. The cancer may be blocking the ureters (ducts that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder).

  • Stage IIIA: Cancer has spread to the lower third of the vagina, but not to the pelvic wall.
  • Stage IIIB: Cancer has grown into the pelvic wall. If the tumor has blocked the ureters (a condition called hydronephrosis) also qualifies stage IIIB.

5. Stage IIIB is defined by the fact that the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the pelvis.

6. Stage IV: This is the most advanced stage of cervical cancer. The cancer has spread to adjacent organs or other body parts.

  • Stage IVA: Cancer has spread to the bladder or rectum, organs that are close to the cervix.
  • Stage IVB : Cancer has spread to distant organs beyond the pelvic area, such as the lungs.

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Filed under Pregnancy, Womans Health : Comments (0) : Jul 25th, 2009


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