Primary Peritoneal Cancer Guide

Before we look at the treatments for cervical cancer let’s look at how it spreads. The uterus is the hollow organ, inverted pear-shaped, where a foetus grows. Cervical cancer is a common type of cancer in women and is a disease in which cancerous cells are found in the tissues of the cervix. Cervical cancer begins to grow slowly. Before appearing cancer cells in the cervix, normal tissues of the cervix go through a process known as dysplasia, in which abnormal cells begins to appear. The Papanicolaou cytology usually finds these pre-malignant cells then they advance and spread more deeply into the cervix and surrounding areas. It’s important to attack the disease early before it reaches an invasive stage so the treatment for cervical cancer can start immediately. Remember that cancerous cells development advances rapidly.

Since there is usually no symptoms associated with cancer of the cervix diagnosis normally involves a series of tests ; Papanicolaou cytology (using a cotton swab, a brush or a small wooden spoon to gently scrape outside of the cervix to collect cells) and Biopsy (a sample of tissue from the cervix is removed to observe under a microscope).

The prognosis and choice of treatment depend on the stage of the cancer and the general state of health. The following stages are used in the classification of cervical cancer:

1. Stage I – Cancer has not spread to the surroundings.

2. Stage II – The cancer has spread to nearby areas.

3. Stage III – Cancer has spread to the entire pelvic area. May have spread to the bottom of the vagina, or infiltrate the ureters.

4. Stage IV – The cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

5. Appellant – A recurrent disease, which means that the cancer has returned after having been treated. It can occur in the cervix itself or appear in another location.

There are three different type of treatments for all patients with cervical cancer; surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The physician according to the information collected will find out which is the best one for the patients. Recently, a vaccine called Gardasil has been developed. It has been shown to be effective against cervical cancer when given before a woman is exposed to HPV (HPV stands for Genital human papillomavirus which is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. It is passed on through genital contact such as vaginal and anal sex). For this reason, Gardasil is a treatment option recommended and approved in girls and young women between the ages of 11-26 years.

For prevention, women should try to reduce risk factors as much as possible. Don’t smoke and put limits on the number of sexual partners. Unfortunately, condoms do not protect you from developing HPV, but will reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer. Many people are interested in preventing cervical cancer with vitamins or diets. Some may play a role in preventing cervical cancer, but no convincing data exists to suggest this. More studies need to be made before making dietary recommendations for the treatments for cervical cancer.