#HEALTHMATTERS: CERVICAL CANCER

                                                      Healthy cervical cells (left) are fairly uniform in size and shape, while 

diseased cervical cells (right) are irregular and disfigured. 

Healthy cervical cells (left) are fairly uniform in size and shape, while diseased cervical cells (right) are irregular and disfigured. 

Gynaecologists use a Pap smear to detect abnormalities in     cervical cells, which may signal cancer. 

Cells are scraped from the cervix, and then are spread on slides and studied with a microscope.

 

CERVICAL CANCER

A malignancy in the cervix, the narrow opening at the lower end of the female uterus, or womb, that leads into the vagina. The disease most commonly affects women between the ages of 40 and 55. Cervical cancer can be prevented by screening for precancerous cells, and it can be cured if detected in an early stage.
The number of cases of cervical cancer has declined significantly in recent decades as a result of more widespread screening for the disease. Today, an estimated 10,000 cases of cervical cancer are discovered annually and about 3,700 women die each year from the disease.
Cervical cancer generally develops slowly, over a period of years. Even before cancer develops, cells of the cervix undergo abnormal changes known as dysplasia. If left untreated, some types of cervical dysplasia can lead to cancer; however, cervical dysplasia is highly treatable. Abnormal changes in cervical cells can be detected through a test known as a Pap smear.
SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS
In its early stages, cervical cancer may not cause any noticeable symptoms. As the cancer progresses, the woman may experience an abnormal vaginal discharge, vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods, or bleeding and pain after sexual intercourse. Over time, the bleeding becomes heavier and more frequent, and pain becomes noticeable in the lower abdomen or back.
Historically, the best tool for diagnosing cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer was the Pap smear, named after its developer, George N. Papanicolaou. In this simple test, cells are removed from the outermost layer of the cervix with a cotton swab or wooden scraper and examined under a microscope for precancerous cell changes or signs of malignancy.
If the Pap smear reveals cell abnormalities, a physician will recommend that the woman undergo a colposcopy. In this procedure, which may be performed in a physician’s office, the physician uses a microscope-like instrument called a colposcopy to gain a magnified view of the surface of the vagina and cervix. Tissue samples are removed for examination under a microscope if the physician sees any abnormal or suspect areas. If cancerous cells are found, further tests may be necessary to determine if the cancer has spread beyond the cervix. Cervical cancer most often spreads to the vagina, uterus, pelvic wall, and bladder.
Annual Pap smears are recommended for most women, beginning soon after they become sexually active. Women who have normal, consecutive Pap smears each year and are at low risk for cervical cancer, such as women who have had hysterectomies or are not sexually active, may decide with their healthcare providers to have Pap smears at two- or three-year intervals. Several studies suggest that a newer test detects precancerous cervical cells more effectively than the Pap smear does. This test screens cervical cells for genetic material from the types of human papillomavirus that can cause cervical cancer. However, the HPV test is more costly than the Pap smear and is used primarily when the results of a Pap smear are inconclusive.
It is of advice that every lady above the age of 18yrs and is sexually active should go for pelvic examination and pap smear screening procedure yearly.