Cardiovascular

What Is Cervical Cancer? What Causes Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer, or cancer of the cervix, is cancer of the entrance to the uterus (womb). The cervix is the narrow part of the lower uterus, often referred to as the neck of the womb. Cervical cancer occurs most commonly in women over the age of 30. The American Cancer Society estimates that 11,270 diagnoses of cervical cancer will be made by the end of 2009 in the USA. Over 4,000 women in the USA die from cervical cancer each year. The National Health Service (NHS), UK, says that over 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in the UK. Cervical cancer caused 941 deaths in the UK in 2007. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) at least 200,000 women worldwide die of cervical cancer each year. WHO adds that if the HPV vaccine is administered globally, hundreds of thousands of lives each year could eventually be saved. Visit our specialized news sections Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine News Ovarian Cancer News Cancer / Oncology News Women"s Health / Gynecology News Menopause News Breast Cancer News Cancer research UK reported that the rate of women diagnosed with the cervical cancer in the UK has halved from 16 per 100,000 in 1988 to 8 per 100,000 according to the latest figures - the NHS (National Health Service) Cervical Screening Programme began in 1988. What is the cervix? The cervix, or the neck of the womb, and the womb are both parts of a female reproductive system. The female reproductive system consists of: *Vagina *Womb (uterus), which includes the cervix *Ovaries Women have two ovaries, one on either side of the lower abdomen (pelvis). Each month one of the ovaries produces an egg. Each ovary is connected to the uterus by a tube called the Fallopian tube. In between each menstrual period an egg travels down one of the fallopian tubes and into the uterus. They alternate - one month may be the left side, and the next month the right side. When the egg enters the womb its lining thickens in preparation; in case the egg is fertilized by a man"s sperm. If fertilization does not occur the thickened lining of the uterus is shed - a period (menses) occurs. The cervix is the opening from the uterus to the vagina. It is a tight muscle that is normally firmly shut, with a small opening to allow the sperm through and the flow from a menstrual period. During labor (childbirth) the cervix opens. There are two main types of cervical cancer *Ectocervix - flat cells - squamous cell cervical cancer The ectocervix is the portion of the cervix that projects into the vagina, also known and the portio vaginalis. It is about 3 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. There are flat cells on the outer surface of the ectocervix. These fish scale-like cells can become cancerous, leading to squamous cell cervical cancer. Squamous cells - flat cells that look like fish scales. The word comes from Latin "squama" meaning "the scale of a fish or serpent". Our outer-layer skin cells are squamous cells, as well as the passages of the respiratory and digestive tracts, and the linings of hollow internal organs. *Endocervix - glandular cells - adenocarcinoma of the cervix The endocervix is the inside of the cervix. There are glandular cells lining the endocervix; these cells produce mucus. These glandular cells can become cancerous, leading to adenocarcinoma of the cervix. Adenocarcinoma - any cancer that develops in the lining or inner surface of an organ. Transformation zone This is where cervical cells are most likely to become cancerous. The transformation zone is located around the opening of the cervix, leading on to the endocervical canal (narrow passageway running up the cervix into the uterus). During cervical screening doctors and nurses will focus on this area. What are the symptoms of cervical cancer? Often during the early stages people may experience no symptoms at all. That is why women should have regular cervical smear tests. Other interesting articles What is cancer? What causes cancer? What is radiotherapy? What are the side effects of radiotherapy? What is chemotherapy? What are the side effects of chemotherapy? What is breast cancer? What is function of the lymph nodes? What is menopause? What are the symptoms of menopause? What is pain? What causes pain? What is endometriosis? What causes endometriosis? What is ovulation? What is the ovulation calendar? 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 What are the causes of cervical cancer? 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: 1. They don"t die. 2. 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 papilloma virus) Human papilloma virus infection is a sexually transmitted virus. There are over 100 different types of HPVs - 15 types can cause cervical cancer; probably 99% of them. In addition there are a number of types which can cause genital warts. It is estimated that HPV types 16 and 18 cause about 70% of cases cervical cancer while HPV types 6 and 11 cause 90% of genital warts. Other HPV types can cause cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) - the growth of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix. *Many sexual partners, 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. There is also a link between becoming sexually active at a young age and a higher risk of cervical cancer. If a woman develops cervical cancer it does not mean she had several sexual partners, or became sexually active earlier than most other females. It is just a risk factor. Women who only ever had one sexual partner can develop cervical cancer. *Smoking Smoking increases the risk of developing many cancers, including cervical cancer. *Weakened immune system People with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, or transplant recipients taking immunosuppressive medications have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer. *Certain genetic factors Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University found that women with certain gene variations appear to be protected against cervical cancer. *Long-term mental stress A woman who experiences high levels of stress over a sustained period may be undermining her ability to fight off HPV and be at increased risk of developing cervical cancer it can cause, scientists at the Fox Chase Cancer Center reported. *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 to 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 to women who never had children. *Contraceptive pill Long-term use of the contraceptive pill 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. Scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina found that HPV infections last longer if Chlamydia also is present. *Socio-economic status Studies in several countries have revealed that women in deprived areas have significantly higher rates of cervical cancer, compared to women who live in other areas. Studies have also found higher rates in women of working age in manual jobs, compared to women in non-manual jobs. The most likely reason is a difference in the proportion of women who have regular screening. Scientists at King"s College London found that some areas in South East England had rates that were three times higher than neighbouring areas. How is cervical cancer diagnosed? The earlier cervical cancer is diagnosed the more successfully it can be treated. *Cervical screening - LBC or Pap smear test In the USA over 11,000 women are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer each year and about 4,000 die of it. The majority of these deaths could be prevented if all women had undergone cervical screening. US authorities say a female should start screening at the age of 21, or within three years of her first sexual encounter - whichever occurs first. The test looks for abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix. If left untreated some abnormal cells can eventually develop into cancer. Cervical screening does not detect cancer. Cervical screening used to be the old pap smear test - which is still used in many parts of the world. More recently, testing using LBC (liquid based cytology) has become more commonplace. A sample of cells is taken from the cervix. The doctor or nurse inserts a speculum - an instrument used to widen the opening of the vagina so that the cervix is more easily visible - and uses a spatula which is brushed around the cervix. The procedure is just mildly uncomfortable for the majority of women. If abnormal cells are there, there is a good chance they will be detected, but not not always. What is LBC (liquid based cytology)? Cytology is the medical and scientific study of cells - diagnosing diseases and conditions by examining tissue samples (cell samples) from the body. With liquid based cytology

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