Cervical cancer
The cervix is the part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells on the cervix grow out of control. Cervical cancer can often be successfully treated when it’s found early, usually through a Pap test. This routine cancer screening can detect cell changes before they become cancerous.
Causes of cervical cancer
Most cervical cancers are caused by a certain types of a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. You can get HPV by having sexual contact with someone who has it.
There are many types of the HPV virus and not all types cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts. But sometimes HPV can lead to cervical cancer. If you are 30 years old or older, your doctor will perform a test for high risk HPV at the time of your Pap test.
Women who do not have the HPV virus and have a negative Pap test are very low risk for cervical cancer and need less frequent Pap tests. However, women who have the HPV virus (even if the Pap test is normal) will still need to be followed closely.
The HPV test can tell you about whether you are at risk of developing cervical problems. A Pap test can tell you whether there are any suspicious changes to your cervical cells.
A Pap test can find changes in cervical cells before they turn into cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you may prevent cervical cancer from developing.
Symptoms of cervical cancer
Abnormal changes in cervical cells rarely cause symptoms; that’s why early detection by having a Pap test is so important. Symptoms may only occur after the abnormal cells have grown into cervical cancer. Symptoms of cervical cancer may include:
- Bleeding from the vagina that is not normal, such as bleeding between menstrual periods, after sex, or after menopause
- Pain in the lower belly or pelvis
- Pain during sex
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
Diagnosing cervical cancer
A Pap test is usually the first step in detecting the abnormal cell changes that may lead to cervical cancer. Most women have a Pap test as part of a regular pelvic exam. During a Pap test, the doctor scrapes a small sample of cells from the surface of the cervix to look for cell changes. If a Pap test shows abnormal cell changes, your doctor may do other tests to look for precancerous or cancer cells on your cervix.
Treating cervical cancer
You may have one type of treatment or a combination of treatments, depending on many factors including the size and extent of your cancer. The standard treatments for most stages of cervical cancer are:
- Surgery, such as removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) and pelvic lymph nodes with or without removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
It’s only natural to be concerned about having a hysterectomy if you want to have children. But a hysterectomy isn’t always needed, especially when cancer is found very early.
Being treated for cancer can weaken your body, and you may feel very tired. Talk with your doctor about home treatment and certain medicines that can relieve some of your symptoms and help you feel better.
Your doctor understands that you may feel overwhelmed when facing cancer treatment. Be assured that he or she will guide you in making any treatment decisions and support you before, during, and after treatment.
Preventing cervical cancer
- Have a regular Pap test screening as recommended by your doctor. The Pap test is the best way to find cervical cell changes before they turn into cancer. It’s important to follow up with your doctor after any abnormal Pap test so you can treat abnormal cell changes before they become cancerous. The recommended Pap test schedule is based on your age, high risk HPV status, and other medical conditions that may increase your risk.
- If you are age 26 or younger, you can get the HPV vaccine which protects against two types of HPV that cause most cases of cervical cancer.
- The HPV virus that causes cervical cancer is spread through sexual contact. The best way to avoid getting HPV or any sexually transmitted infection is to not have sex. If you do have sex, practice safer sex, such as using condoms and limiting the number of sex partners you have.
- Quit smoking. Women who smoke or breathe in secondhand smoke have a higher risk of cervical cell changes that could lead to cancer.
