Cervical Cancer

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Cervical Cancer

At the bottom of the uterus, where the genitalia join, is the cervix. When the ‘Human Papilloma’ virus infects this area, the cervix is infected and cancer occurs.

How is ‘Human Papilloma’ virus spread?

This virus is spread through unprotected, unhygienic sex. The virus infects the tissues in the cervix and causes cancer.

Symptoms:

·        Bleeding with pain during menses

·        Bleeding in clots

·        A feeling of heaviness in the abdomen

·        Much pain during intercourse

·        Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between periods or after menopause

·        Vaginal discharge with a strong odor

·        Pain in lower back, between hip bones, or lower tummy.

Test:

Pap smear test. It is better for women above 21 years of age to do this, every two years.This test can be done within two weeks after the end of menstruation.

To prevent cervical cancer:

·        The quadrivalent human papilloma virus vaccine protects against infection with HPV types 6,11,16 and 18, which are responsible for 70% to 80% of cervical cancers and at least 90% of cases of genital warts. The vaccine is available under the National Immunization Program to females aged 12-26 years.

·        Bivalent human papilloma virus vaccine is used in girls and young women ages 9 through 25 to prevent cervical cancer caused by certain HPV types 16 and 18.

Quadrivalent human papilloma virus vaccine:

If the first dose of Quadrivalent human papilloma virus vaccine is recommended at ages 11-12 years. Second dose is recommended 2 months after the first dose, the third dose is recommended 6 months after the first dose.

Bivalent human papilloma virus vaccine:

If the first dose of Bivalent human papilloma virus vaccine is recommended at ages 11-12 years. Second dose is recommended 1 month after the first dose, the third dose is recommended 6 months after the first dose.

Contraindication of Human papilloma virus vaccines:

·        HPV vaccine is not recommended for use during pregnancy. People known to be pregnant should delay initiation of the vaccination series until after the pregnancy. Although HPV vaccines have not been linked to causing adverse pregnancy outcomes to the developing fetus among pregnant people vaccinated inadvertently.

·        HPV vaccine is produced in saccharomyces cerevisiae and is contraindicated for persons with a history of immediate hypersensitivity to yeast.

Treatment:

Radiation:

Radiation therapy uses energy beams to kill cancer cells in the cervix.

·        External beam radiation:

Aims high-powered radiation at cancer from a machine outside the body.

·        Brachytherapy:

Puts the radiation in or just near cancer.

Stage 0 cervical cancer treatment:

If you are diagnosed with cervical dysplasia or precancerous cells are found, surgery is generally the only treatment necessary to remove precancerous areas on the cervix.

Stage 1 cervical cancer treatment:

Stage 1 means that the cancer is only in the neck of the cervix. The main treatment is surgery. You might also have combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Stage 2 cervical cancer treatment:

Chemoradiation is a main treatment for stage 2 cervical cancer. Chemotherapy is given during the same time period as radiation therapy to make the radiation therapy more effective. Chemoradiation may be given after surgery. Cisplatin or Cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil is the chemotherapy that is used.

Stage IIB, Stage III Cervical cancer treatment:

·        Radiation therapy with chemotherapy given at the same time.

·        Surgery to remove pelvic lymph nodes followed by radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.

·        Internal radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy uses drugs that are injected through the veins or taken by mouth to kill cancer cells. It enters the blood and is effective for killing cells anywhere in the body. There are several drugs used for chemo and they can be combined. Chemo is often given in cycles. The length of the cycle and the schedule or frequency of chemotherapy varies depending on the drug used and where cancer is located.

Surgery:

Different kinds of surgery are used to treat cervical cancer.

·        Laser surgery:

This surgery uses a laser beam to burn off cancer cells.

·        Cryosurgery:

This surgery freezes cancer cells.

·        Cone biopsy:

A surgery in which a cone-shaped piece of tissue is removed from the cervix.

·        Simple hysterectomy:

This surgery involves the removal of the uterus but not the tissue next to the uterus. Vagina and pelvic lymph nodes are not removed.

·        Radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection:

With this surgery, uterus, surrounding tissue called the parametrium, cervix, a small portion of the upper part of the vagina and lymph nodes from the pelvis are removed.

·        Trachelectomy:

This procedure removes the cervix and the upper part of the vagina but not the uterus.

·        Pelvic exenteration:

This is the same as a radical hysterectomy but includes the bladder, vagina, rectum and part of the colon, depending on where cancer has spread.

Targeted therapy:

Targeted drug treatment destroys specific cancer cells without damaging healthy cells. It works by targeting proteins that control how cancer cells grow and spread. As scientists learn more about cancer cells, they are able to design better targeted treatments that destroy these proteins.