The cancer that grows on the neck of the uterus, called the cervix, is known as cervical cancer. It is a part of the female reproductive system that connects the uterus and the vagina. It is the fourth most common form of cancer in females worldwide.
Cervical cancer is caused by Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection or sexual contact. Thus, getting vaccinated against HPV and practising safe sex are the best practices a woman can follow to prevent cervical cancer. In addition, undergoing regular Pap smears (cervical cancer diagnostic test) can facilitate early detection and treatment.
In this blog, let’s discuss some symptoms, causes and treatment options for women with cervical cancer.
What is cervical cancer?
When the cells of the cervix undergo uncontrolled cell growth and proliferation, cervical cancer develops. It is mainly of two types:
- Squamous cell carcinoma: This type makes up about 70% of all cervical carcinoma types. When the squamous cells of the cervix show cancerous growth, the type of cancer is termed squamous cell carcinoma.
- Adenocarcinoma: This type makes up about 25% to 30% of cervical cancers and involves the mucus-producing cells of the cervix.
What causes cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer primarily develops from the high-risk type of HPV infection and sexual contact. Genital HPV is the most common type of HPV infection and often transmits during sexual intercourse with an infected individual. The immune system typically destroys this virus and the infected person does not develop any symptoms.
However, in some women, the body is unable to combat the virus and tends to show changes in the cells of the cervix. This is a very slow-progressing type of cancer and develops over the years.
Some other causes of cervical cancer include:
- Smoking: Whether you’re an active or a passive smoker, you are at risk of developing cervical cancer. Smoking does not directly cause cervical cancer but prepares the body to undergo changes that favour the growth of cancer cells.
- Oral contraceptive pills: Contraceptives make the cells of the cervix more susceptible to cancer growth. Cervical cancer has been associated with long-term use of oral contraceptives.
- Immunity: Having poor immunity makes the body more susceptible to infections and has a poor response to fighting the proliferation of cancer cells.
- Exposure to chemicals: Chemicals such as diethylstilbestrol or DES, a synthetic estrogen, given to prevent premature labour and miscarriages, have been known to cause cervical cancer in daughters of the women who were exposed to it. Daughters born with DES exposure have 40 times more risk of developing clear cell adenocarcinoma of the lower genital tract compared to other normal women. Today, this is one of the rarest causes of developing cervical cancer.
What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer is usually asymptomatic during early stages. However, it shows signs of typical cancer as it develops.
Some characteristic symptoms of cervical cancer stage 1 are:
- Vaginal discharge: Most women with cervical cancer may start having a watery or bloody vaginal discharge. It may smell bad and be heavy.
- Vaginal bleeding: If you experience bleeding after sex without menstruating in and around the act or after menopause, it may be a sign of cervical cancer.
- Dyspareunia: Having pain during sex despite adequate lubrication and no other evident reason, you must see your gynaecologist and check for cervical cancer.
In other stages of cervical cancer in which cancer may have spread to nearby tissues or may have involved other organs, symptoms appear as:
- Dysuria: Painful urination or having difficulty passing urine may indicate cervical cancer.
- Weight loss: Losing more than 10% of your body weight in a short period indicates cancer. In addition, loss of appetite may also indicate cancer.
- Bloody urine
- Fatigue: Feeling tired more than usual after doing routine chores.
- General malaise
- Pain in the abdomen or dull backache
- Swelling in legs
It is advisable to see your doctor if any of the above occur and are unexplained. Early detection is key to prevention.
Diagnosing and Treating Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is diagnosed with a routine Pap smear which shows the microscopic anatomy of the cervical cells. If the result is abnormal, further testing may be required, which includes an HPV test, biopsy depending on your case, and evaluation of your cancer stage if positive for cancer.
Evaluating the stage of cervical cancer allows doctors to determine the best treatment plan. The different approaches to cervical cancer include radiation therapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgery.
- Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy involves directing high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells. These are of two types:
- External beam radiation therapy: High-energy radiation beams are directed from outside the body
- Brachytherapy: High-energy beams are directed at the cancer or near it
- Targeted therapy
Specific drugs are administered to directly target the cervical cancer cells without damaging the healthy cells of the body.
- Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves administering drugs either orally or intravenously that can affect any cells of the body. Several drugs can be administered and given in combination to kill cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy involves strengthening the immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells.
- Surgery
Surgical procedures to treat cancer cells include the following:
- Cryosurgery: Freezing and killing cancer cells
- Laser surgery: Burning cancer cells with LASER
- Hysterectomy: Partial or complete removal of the uterus
- Trachelectomy: Removal of the cervix and upper part of the vagina but not the uterus
- Pelvic exenteration: It is a form of hysterectomy, but involves other organs such as the bladder, rectum, a part of the colon, vagina and others depending on the metastasis of cervical cancer
Conclusion
Cervical cancer is a serious condition, but highly treatable. Cervical cancer can be prevented if you get the HPV vaccine when between 9 and 45 years old, use contraceptives such as condoms if you’re sexually active, limit sexual partners and avoid risk factors that contribute to cancer development such as smoking.
Even though cancer treatment may affect the quality of your life, once it is over, you can live a full life. You must closely monitor your condition with regular check-ups to detect any recurrence. Survival rates are very promising depending on the stage of cervical cancer you may have.
