Cervical Cancer

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus, the place where a baby grows during pregnancy. Cervical cancer is caused by several types of a virus called human papillomaviruses (HPV). The virus spreads through sexual contact. Most women's bodies are able to fight HPV infection. But sometimes the virus leads to cancer. You're at higher risk if you smoke, have many children, use birth control pills for a long time, or have HIV infection.

Cervical cancer may not cause any symptoms at first, but later, you may have pelvic pain or bleeding from the vagina. It usually takes several years for normal cells in the cervix to turn into cancer cells. Your health care provider can find abnormal cells by doing a Pap test - examining cells from the cervix under a microscope. By getting regular Pap tests and pelvic exams you can find and treat changing cells before they turn into cancer.

A vaccine for girls and young women protects against the four types of HPV that cause most cervical cancers.

National Cancer Institute

Cervical Cancer on Wikipedia

'''Cervical cancer''' is a malignancy of the cervix. Worldwide, it is the second most common cancer of women. It may present with vaginal bleeding but symptoms may be absent until the cancer is in advanced stages, which has made cervical cancer the focus of intense screening efforts utilizing the Pap smear. Most scientific studies point to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection as a necessary pre-requisite for development of cervical cancer. Treatment is with surgery (including cryosurgery) in early stages and chemotherapy and radiotherapy in advanced stages of the disease.

Signs and symptoms

The early stages of cervical cancer may be completely asymptomatic (Canavan & Doshi, 2000). Vaginal bleeding, contact bleeding or (rarely) a vaginal mass may indicate the presence of malignancy. In advanced disease, metastasis may be present in the abdomen, lungs or elsewhere. The possibility to identify premalignant changes on a cervical smear has made screening the major cause for referral of women with possible cervical neoplasia. In many countries, women are advised to have a regular Pap smear to check for premalignant changes.[http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000301/1369.html] Recommendations for how often a Pap smear should be done vary from once a year to once every five years. If cervical cancer is detected early, it can be treated without impairing fertility. Consistently abnormal smears may be a reason for further diagnosis despite complete absence of symptoms.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is made by doing a biopsy of the cervix, which often involves colposcopy, or a magnified visual inspection of the cervix aided by using an acetic acid solution to produce color changes in precancerous or cancerous areas. A Pap smear is insufficient for the diagnosis. Many researchers recommend that since more than 99% of invasive cervical cancers worldwide contain human papillomavirus, HPV ... [ Read More ]

External Resources

Matritech - Developer of proteomics-based diagnostic products for the early detection of cancer by identifying proteins correlated with breast, bladder, prostate, cervical and colon cancers. Located in Newton, Massachusetts.

Dr Ross Walker - Homepage of image processing research - Contains image processing and pattern recognition research relating to cervical cancer, texture analysis, algi & cyanobacteria taxa classification. Download my publications.

MediSpectra, Inc. - A medical device company developing proprietary optical detection technology for enhanced accuracy and real-time results in the diagnosis of cervical cancer.

Siteman: Cervical Cancer Study - Washington University institution seeks patient volunteers for a genetic research project.

TriPath Imaging Inc. - Develops, manufactures and markets integrated sample preparation and automated image analysis system to support cytologists in cervical cancer screening. (Nasdaq: TPTH).

San Diego State University: Cancer Clinical Services - Explains the Quality Assurance Project whose goal is to improve breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services.

European Consortium for Cervical Cancer Education - ECCCE provides information aimed at prevention, addressing signs and symptoms, screening, HPV and issues related to abnormal laboratory results.

National Cervical Cancer Coalition - Information about the organization as well as on the Pap smear, HPV, treatment and emotional support.

Jo's Trust - Information on cervical cancer, chemotherapy, counseling and related issues, bulletin board and relevant links. Located in London, England.

Cervix and Pap Smear Problems - Frequently asked questions about abnormal Pap smears, cervical dysplasia and the HPV relationship to cervical cancer.

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