What is cervical cancer?





Cervical cancer is different from cancer that begins in other regions of the uterus (uterine or endometrial cancer). If detected early, cervical cancer has a very high cure rate. Vaccination against HPVs, which are known to cause cervical cancer, is an effective preventive measure.





The cervix has 2 different parts and is covered with two different types of cells.The part of the cervix closest to the body of the uterus is called the endocervix and is covered with glandular cells.The part next to the vagina is the exocervix and is covered in squamous cells.These two cell types meet at a place called the transformation zone. The exact location of the transformation zone changes as you get older and if you give birth.





Cervical cancer does not typically cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages of the disease. Routine Pap screening is important to check for abnormal cells in the cervix, so they can be monitored and treated as early as possible. Most women are advised to get a Pap test starting at age 21. The Pap test is one of the most reliable and effective cancer screening methods available, and women should have yearly exams by an OB-GYN. However, the Pap test may not detect some cases of abnormal cells in the cervix. The HPV test screens women for the high-risk HPV strains that may lead to cervical tumors. It is approved for women over age 30.





Although screening methods are not 100% accurate, these tests are often an effective method for detecting cervical cancer in the early stages when it is still highly treatable. Talk with your doctor about which type of cervical cancer screening is right for you.





Causes of cervical cancer cancer

Cancer is the result of the uncontrolled division and growth of abnormal cells. Most of the cells in our body have a set lifespan, and, when they die, the body generates new cells to replace them.

Abnormal cells can have two problems:

they do not die

they continue dividing

This results in an excessive buildup of cells, which eventually forms a lump, or tumor. Scientists are not completely sure why cells become cancerous.





Some risk factors might increase the risk of developing cervical cancer. These include:

Smoking: This increases the risk of cervical cancer, as well as other types.

HPV: This is a sexually transmitted virus. More than 100 different types of HPV can occur, at least 13 of which may cause cervical cancer.

Having many sexual partners or becoming sexually active early: The transmission of cancer-causing HPV types nearly always occur as a result of sexual contact with an individual who has HPV. Women who have had many sexual partners generally have a higher risk of HPV infection. This increases their risk of developing cervical cancer.

A weakened immune system: The risk of cervical cancer is higher in those with HIV or AIDS, and people who have undergone a transplant, leading to the use of immunosuppressive medications.

Other sexually transmitted diseases (STD): Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis increase the risk of developing cervical cancer.

Early warning signs of cervical cancer

In the early stages, cervical cancers cause no pain or other symptoms. That's why it's vital for women to get regular pelvic exams and Pap tests to detect cancer in its earliest stage when it's treatable.





The first identifiable symptoms of cervical cancer are likely to include:

Abnormal vaginal bleeding, such as after intercourse, between menstrual periods, or after menopause; menstrual periods may be heavier and last longer than normal.

Vaginal discharge and odor.

Pelvic pain.

Pain during intercourse.

If cervical cancer has spread to nearby tissues, symptoms may include:

periods may be heavier and last longer than normal.

Vaginal discharge and odor.

Pain during intercourse.

Pelvic pain.

When present, common symptoms of a tumor that develops in the cervix may include vaginal bleeding, including bleeding between periods, after sexual intercourse or post-menopausal bleeding; unusual vaginal discharge, which may be watery, pink or foul-smelling; and pelvic pain.





All of these cervical cancer symptoms should be discussed with your specialist doctor.

Types of cervical cancer

Cervical cancers and cervical pre-cancers are classified by how it look under a microscope. The main types of cervical cancers are adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.





Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. These cancers develop from cells in the exocervix and the cancer cells have features of squamous cells under the microscope. Squamous cell carcinomas most often begin in the transformation zone.

Most of the other cervical cancers are adenocarcinomas. Adenocarcinomas are cancers that develop from gland cells. Cervical adenocarcinoma develops from the mucus-producing gland cells of the endocervix. Cervical adenocarcinomas seem to have become more common in the past 20 to 30 years.





Is cervical cancer inherited?

There is no known genetic cause of cervical cancer. However, it may run in some families. Women with a mother or sister who had the disease have a higher risk of developing it themselves. It is currently not understood if this familial tendency is caused by an inherited condition that makes some women more vulnerable to HPV infection than others. Alternatively, the increased incidence in some families may be related to the likelihood that family members may share one or more of the other non-genetic risk factors described previously.





Less commonly, cervical cancers have features of both squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. These are called adenosquamous carcinomas or mixed carcinomas.

Although almost all cervical cancers are either squamous cell carcinomas or adenocarcinomas, other types of cancer also can develop in the cervix. These other types, such as melanoma, sarcoma, and lymphoma, occur more commonly in other parts of the body.





Only the more common cervical cancer types are covered here, and not the rare types.

What are the risk factors for cervical cancer?

As described previously, cervical cancers are caused by infection with one of the high-risk HPV types. However, since not all people who are infected with HPV will develop cancer, it is likely that other factors also play a role in the development of cervical cancer.





When to seek specialist doctor

You should contact your GP if you experience:

bleeding outside of your normal periods

new bleeding after the menopause

bleeding after sex (postcoital bleeding)

Vaginal bleeding is very common and can have a wide range of causes, so it does not necessarily mean you have cervical cancer. However, unusual vaginal bleeding needs to be investigated by your GP.





How is cervical cancer diagnosed?

If you have an abnormal Pap test or positive HPV test result, your doctor may suggest more tests or treatment. This testing can be another Pap test, an HPV test, or a colposcopy, a procedure that helps your doctor look more closely at your cervix to see if there are precancerous cells.

During a colposcopy, they might also do a biopsy, a procedure to remove a small piece of tissue from your cervix. The tissue is sent to a lab and examined for signs of cervical cancer.





Cervical cancer often can be prevented with vaccination and modern screening techniques that detect precancerous changes in the cervix. The incidence of cervical cancers in the developed world declined significantly after the introduction of Pap screening to detect precancerous changes, which can be treated before they progress to become cancer.





Moreover, vaccines are available against the common types of HPV that cause cervical cancer. Gardasil and Gardasil 9 are HPV vaccines. Original studies with Gardasil showed it to be very effective in preventing infection by four common HPV types (6, 11, 16, and 18) in young people who were not previously infected with HPV. Gardasil 9, a newer version of the vaccine, was approved in December 2014 and provides immunity to nine HPV types (6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58).

Vaccination should occur before sexual activity to offer the full benefit of the vaccine.





Cervical cancer is a cancer arising from the cervix. It is due to the abnormal growth of cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body. Early on, typically no symptoms are seen. Later symptoms may include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain or pain during sexual intercourse.

Cervical cancer is cancer that begins in the uterine cervix, the lower end of the uterus that contacts the upper vagina. Since 1980, the incidence of cervical cancer has fallen by 45%, and the mortality (death) rate for cervical cancer has declined by 49%. Survival rates among African-American women are lower than for any other racial or ethnic group in the U.S. Cervical cancer remains a common cause of cancer and cancer death in women in developing countries without access to screening (Pap testing) for cervical cancer or vaccines against human papillomaviruses (HPVs).Birth control pills: Long-term use of some common contraceptive pills slightly raises a woman’s risk.Vaccine to prevent cervical cancer?