What is cervical cancer?

Definition

What is cervical cancer (cervical cancer)?

Cervical cancer is a cancer that occurs when there are cells in the cervix that are abnormal cervical aliens, and continue to grow uncontrollably.

These abnormal cells can develop rapidly resulting in tumors in the cervix. Malignant tumors will develop into the cause of cervical cancer.

The cervix itself is an organ that is shaped like a cylindrical tube. Its function is to connect the vagina with the womb.

This cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women worldwide. However, regular pap smear tests can help to determine the presence of cervical cancer early.

Cervical cancer can often be cured if seen early. In addition, there are several methods to control the risk of cervical cancer, which makes the number of cases of cervical cancer decreased.

How common is cervical cancer (cervical cancer)?

Cervical cancer is very common throughout the world. According to World Health Organization or WHO records, cervical cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in women. Furthermore, the WHO also observed that the incidence of cervical cancer is greater in developing countries than in developed countries.

In Indonesia, the Ministry of Health even noted that cervical cancer ranks second for the most common type of cancer after breast cancer. Each year, there are about 40,000 new cases of cervical cancer detected in Indonesian women.

This condition can occur in patients of any age. However, getting older, the risk of a person experiencing cervical cancer is greater.

Cervical cancer can be treated by reducing risk factors. Discuss with your doctor for more information.

Signs & symptoms

What are the characteristics and symptoms of cervical cancer (cervical cancer)?

In the early stages, women with early cervical cancer and pre-cancer will not experience symptoms. The reason, cervical cancer does not show symptoms until the tumor is formed. Tumors can then push nearby organs and disrupt healthy cells. Symptoms of cervical cancer can be characterized by the following characteristics.

Unusual bleeding from the vagina. For example, bleeding when you are not menstruating, menstruation is longer, bleeding after or during sex, after menopause, after bowel movements, or after pelvic examination.
The menstrual cycle is irregular.
Pain in the pelvis (in the lower abdomen).
Pain during sex or having sex.
Pain in the waist (lower back) or legs.
Body limp and easily tired.
Weight loss decreased when not diet.
Loss of appetite.
Vaginal fluid that is not normal, such as smelly sting or accompanied by blood.
One of the legs is swollen.

There are several other conditions, such as infection, which can cause various traits of cervical cancer. However, whatever the cause, you should still visit a doctor to check it out. Ignoring the possibility of cervical cancer symptoms will only make the condition worse and lose the chance of effective treatment.

Better yet, do not wait until the symptoms of cervical cancer appear. The best way to treat your genitals by doing a regular pap smear test and pelvic exam to the obstetrician.

There may be signs and symptoms of cervical cancer not mentioned above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

If you show some signs or symptoms of cervical cancer above or any other questions, consult your doctor. Each person's body is different. Always consult a doctor to treat your health condition and check yourself every appearance of cervical cancer.

However, virtually all women (especially those who are married or sexually active) should see a doctor for self-examination and get HPV vaccine. No need to wait until the characteristics of new cervical cancer look for medical help.

Women over the age of 40 are also strongly advised to check with your doctor and perform regular Pap smear tests. The reason, the more aged you are increasingly susceptible to this cancer. While you may not feel the various symptoms of cervical cancer that has begun to attack.

Causes of Cervical Cancer

What causes cervical cancer (cervical cancer)?

Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by human papillomavirus or HPV abbreviated. There are more than a hundred types of HPV, but so far there are only about 13 types of viruses that could be the cause of cervical cancer. The virus is often transmitted through sexual contact.

In the female body, this virus produces two types of proteins, namely E6 and E7. Both of these proteins are dangerous because they can inactivate certain genes in the female body that play a role in stopping tumor development.

Both of these proteins also trigger the growth of uterine wall cells aggressively. This unnatural growth of cells eventually causes a gene change (also known as a gene mutation). Mutation of this gene that then becomes the cause of cervical cancer developing in the body.

Some types of HPV cause no symptoms at all. However, some types can cause genital warts, and some may be the cause of cervical cancer. Only doctors can diagnose and ascertain how dangerous HPV strain you are experiencing.

Two strains of the HPV virus (HPV 16 and HPV 18) are known to play a role in 70% of cervical cancer cases. This type of HPV infection does not cause any symptoms, so many women do not realize they have an infection. In fact, most adult women have actually been the "host" of HPV at any given moment in their lives.

HPV can be easily found through a pap smear test. This is why a pap smear test is essential to prevent cervical cancer. Pap smear tests are able to detect differences in cervical cells before they turn cancerous. If you handle these cell changes, you can protect yourself from cervical cancer.

Risk factors

Who is at risk for cervical cancer (cervical cancer)?

So far HPV is known to be the main cause of cervical cancer. However, there are several risk factors that can increase your chances of getting this cancer, even if you have no history of HPV infection. Consider the following various risk factors for cervical cancer.

Human papillomavirus infection. Having sex with multiple partners can increase the risk of getting HPV 16 and 18. Likewise, risky sexual behaviors such as unprotected sex or sharing the same sex toys. In addition, women who never get the vaccine (immunization) HPV certainly more vulnerable to HPV infection that could be the cause of cervical cancer.
Smoke. Tobacco contains many chemicals that are not good for the body. Women who smoke have a risk up to two times greater than non-smokers in cervical cancer.
Immunosuppression. Treatment or conditions affecting the immune system, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, can increase the risk of HPV infection and become the cause of cervical cancer.
Chlamydia infection. Several studies have shown a higher risk of cervical cancer in women with a blood test result that has either been or is having an infection of one sexually transmitted disease, namely chlamydia.
Lack of consumption of fruits and vegetables. Women who have a less healthy diet, such as rarely eat fruits and vegetables, may have a higher risk of cervical cancer.
Overweight (obesity). Women with overweight are more likely to have adenocarcinoma in the cervix.
Long-term contraceptive use (oral contraceptives). A number of studies have shown that taking oral contraceptives (oral contraceptives) for a long time, which is more than about five years, may increase the risk of cervical cancer. If you've been taking birth control pills to prevent pregnancy, immediately consider choosing another contraceptive and talking to your obstetrician. Recent studies have found that women who use intrauterine devices (IUDs, devices inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy) have a lower risk of cancer. Therefore, IUD type contraception can be an alternative for you who do not want to get pregnant.
It has been pregnant several times and gave birth. Women who have had a pregnancy to give birth (no miscarriage) 3 times or more have a higher risk of cervical cancer.
Pregnant or give birth at a very young age. Very young means under the age of 17 years during pregnancy until delivery for the first time. Women younger than 17 when first pregnant (no miscarriage) are twice as likely to develop cervical cancer.
Poverty. Although a person's economic condition is not necessarily the cause of cervical cancer, poverty is likely to hinder women's access to adequate health care and education, including pap smears.
Diethylstilbestrol (DES). DES is a hormonal drug given to women to prevent miscarriage. Mothers who take this drug during pregnancy have a greater risk of cervical cancer. Girls who are born also have a greater risk. This drug has not been prescribed again for pregnant women since the 1980s. However, for those of you who have been pregnant or born before 1980 are still at risk of cancer.
Hereditary factors. If in your family, such as grandmothers, mothers, or female cousins who have had cervical cancer, you become two to three times more susceptible to cervical cancer than people who do not have cancer-causing factors. The problem is, the gene mutation that causes cervical cancer can be passed down to the next generation.
Age. Women under fifteen have the lowest risk of this cancer. While the risk is increasing in women aged over 40 years.

Drugs & diagnosis

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How to diagnose cervical cancer (cervical cancer)?

Doctors usually use a pap smear test to diagnose cervical cancer. Doctors may perform other tests to look at cancer cells or pre-cancers in the cervix if the pap smear test shows a malfunction of cell changes, such as a biopsy.

Your doctor may refer you to a gynecologist if the test results indicate an abnormality, or if the doctor sees growth in the cervix or if you have abnormal bleeding.

It is important to note that bleeding from women does not necessarily mean cervical cancer. Chlamydia is one reason why women experience unusual vaginal bleeding. Your doctor may recommend that you take the test before referring.

Some tests that may be needed to confirm if you have cervical cancer are as follows.

Colposcopy. The procedure is done with a small microscope with a light source on the tip used to check your cervix.
Cone biopsy. This little procedure is done under drugs. The small cone-shaped portion of the cervix will be removed for examination. After that, you may experience vaginal bleeding for up to four weeks after the procedure. You can also experience pain like menstruation.

If your doctor believes you have symptoms of cervical cancer, your doctor will then check how severe the condition (stage stages) of cancer. The tests may include the following.

Examine the uterus, vagina, rectum, and urine if there is cancer. This procedure is done with anesthetic.
Blood tests to check the condition around the organs, such as bones, blood and kidneys.
Imaging tests (scanning), namely computerized tomography (CT) scan technology, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, X-ray, and Positive emission tomography (PET) scans. The purpose of this test is to identify cancerous tumors and when cancer cells have spread (metastasis).

What are the commonly used cervical cancer drugs?

The sooner you detect the symptoms of cervical cancer and the disease, the easier it is to treat cervical cancer.

Treatment for cervical cancer is quite complicated. The hospital will prepare a team of experts determined to address the early and advanced stages of cervical cancer. Although ideally handling cervical cancer at an early stage, usually cervical cancer is not diagnosed early enough.

Typically, there are three main treatment options for cervical cancer, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

1. Operation

This will remove the infected part of the cancer. You and your medical team must work together for the best outcome:

Radical trachelectomy - the cervix, the surrounding tissue and the top of the vagina are removed, but the uterus remains in place so you can still have children. That's why this surgery is usually a priority for women who have early stage cervical cancer and still want to have children.
Hysterectomy - the cervix and uterus removed, depending on the stage of the cancer, may be necessary to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes. You can not have more children if you have a hysterectomy.
Pelvic exenteration - a major operation in which the cervix, vagina, uterus, urine, ovaries, fallopian tubes and rectum are removed. Like hysterectomy, you can not have any more children after this surgery.

2. Radiotherapy

In the early stages of cervical cancer, you can be treated with radiotherapy or combined with surgery. Then, if the cancer is already advanced, doctors can recommend radiotherapy with chemotherapy to reduce bleeding and pain in patients.

In this procedure, your body is exposed to radiation. The source of radiation can come from the external, with a machine that emits radiation on your body, or internally. With the internal method, an implant will be fitted into your body to radiate. There are several cases where these 2 methods are combined. The radiotherapy series usually lasts 5 to 8 weeks.

3. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy can be used alone or in combination with radiotherapy to treat cervical cancer. In advanced cancer, this method is often used to prevent cancer growth. You will make an appointment to get a dose of chemotherapy through an IV.

All cervical cancer treatments can have side effects. You should discuss it first with your doctor. You may experience premature menopause, narrowing of the vagina, or lymphedema after undergoing cervical cancer treatment.

Prevention of cervical cancer

What can be done to prevent cervical cancer (cervical cancer)?

Here are the lifestyle changes that can help you prevent cervical cancer from happening to you:

Talking with family, friends or counselors can help. You can also ask your doctor about survivors and cervical cancer patients.
Pap smear test is the best way to find cervical or HPV cell changes in the cervix. It is important to follow up with your doctor after the abnormal pap smear test results so you can get treatment on time.
If you are under 26 years of age, you can get HPV vaccine that can protect from 2 types of HPV 16 and HPV 18, the type of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.
Avoid getting infected with HPV by having safe sex, using condoms and not changing sexual partners.
To prevent cancer from progressing to a more serious stage, you need to live a healthy lifestyle. For example, by maintaining a balanced nutritious diet, diligent exercise in accordance with the ability and advice of doctors, adequate rest, manage stress, stop smoking and drink alcohol, and reduce exposure to harmful substances such as pollution, pesticides, and packaged foods.

If you have further questions, consult your doctor for the best solution of your problem.

What is cervical cancer?