The National Cancer Institute indicates that over 9,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. every year. Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer deaths, but due to the widespread use of the Pap smear examination in cervical cancer detection, in addition to the recent cervical cancer prevention vaccine, instances of death have been drastically reduced.
What is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix, the low, narrow portion of the uterus. Cervical cancer occurs when the cells of the cervix begin to change and become abnormal. These cell abnormalities start off in the precancerous stage, meaning that they are not yet cancer. Precancerous changes to the cervix are referred to as cervical dysplasia. Cervical dysplasia is normally discovered on a Pap smear examination, and it is important to treat the condition at this early stage to prevent the precancerous cells from developing into actual cervical cancer.
Causes of Cervical Cancer
There is no single cause of cervical cancer, but there are several risk factors that will increase a woman's chances of developing the disease. The main risk factor of developing cervical cancer is infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a viral infection spread through skin-to-skin sexual contact. There are over 100 strains of HPV viruses. Most HPV infections are common and usually go away without treatment; however, some strains can cause abnormal cell changes in the cervix, leading to the development of cancer. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), approximately 80% of women are infected with the HPV virus by the age of 50.
Other cervical cancer risk factors include:
- Not having regular Pap tests
- Having many sexual partners, or a partner who has had many partners
- Becoming sexually active at an early age
- Having given birth to many children
- Long-term use of birth control pills
- Smoking and/or second-hand smoke exposure
- HIV infection
- Weakened immune system
- History of other sexually-transmitted infections
- Having taken diethylstilbestrol (DES), or being the daughter of a mother who took DES (a form of estrogen that was used between 1940 and 1971 to treat women with certain problems during pregnancy, such as miscarriages)
Cervical Cancer Symptoms
Symptoms of cervical cancer often do not present themselves until the cancer has become more advanced. Often, there are no symptoms at all. A physician should be consulted if any of the following symptoms occur:
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Unusual, heavy or foul-smelling discharge
- Unusual pelvic pain
- Bladder pain during urination
- Irregular bleeding (between regular menstrual periods or after sexual intercourse, douching, or a pelvic exam)
Cervical Cancer Prevention
Gardasil Vaccine
In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Gardasil, a cervical cancer vaccine for girls and women aged 9 to 26. Gardasil is highly effective in protecting against the cervical cancer-causing strains of the HPV virus.
Pap Smear Exam
A Pap smear is considered one of the most reliable tests for identifying precancerous or cancerous cells in the cervix. During a Pap smear test, a swab is used to take a sample of tissue from the cervix for examination. Regular testing will ensure that any abnormalities are caught in time to enable treatment.
An annual gynecological exam is one of the most essential tools in the prevention of cervical cancer.
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