Cervical Cancer

Pathophysiology: This topic talks about the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical cancer. For general information about abnormal Pap test results, see the topic Abnormal Pap Test. Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells on the cervix grow out of control. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into thevagina. Cervical cancer can often be successfully treated when it's found early. It is usually found at a very early stage through a Pap test. Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide. But in the United States and other countries where cervicalcancer screening is routine, this cancer is not so common.1 Most cervical cancer is caused by 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. Not all types of HPVcause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms. Most adults have been infected with HPV at some time. An infection may go away on its own. But sometimes it can cause genital warts or lead to cervical cancer. That's why it's important for women to have regular Pap tests. 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. Abnormal cervical cell changes rarely cause symptoms. But you may have symptoms if those cell changes grow 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. • Vaginal discharge that isn't normal. As part of your regular pelvic exam, you should have a Pap test. 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.

Symptoms: Cervical cancer typically does not cause symptoms until its later stages, so cervical CIS may by asymptomatic. Because of this, regular Pap smears are important to catch any abnormal cell changes early.

DIAGNOSIS: A Pap smear can collect abnormal cells that are then identified in a lab. An HPV test may be performed on the sample to check for the virus and to ascertain whether high-risk or low-risk strains are present. A colposcopy is an in-office procedure that allows your doctor to view your cervix with a special magnifying tool. A solution is applied to the surface of your cervix to illuminate any abnormal cells, and your doctor can then take a small piece of tissue called a biopsy. This can be sent to a lab for a more definitive diagnosis.

STATISTICS: Cancer mortality rates in Russia greatly exceed those in Europe and the United States, according to a report on the challenges to effective cancer control in China, India, and Russia, which was published in the April issue of the Lancet Oncology. About a quarter (26%) of all cancer patients will die within a year of their diagnosis, although this rate varies considerably by geographic region. Russia is both a high-income country and an emerging economy, as defined by the World Bank. But despite this distinction, life expectancies have not risen in line with the increasing wealth of the country and, notably, cancer accounts for 15% of all deaths. In Russia, the overall risk of dying from cancer is about 60%, which is higher than the 40% in the United Kingdom and the 33% in the United States.