Cervical cancer remains a significant threat to the health and well-being of women. Today, the disease is preventable with vaccination and appropriate screening.
January is Cervical Health Awareness month in the United States.
Cervical cancer begins when DNA mutations develop in the healthy cells in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that connects the main body of the uterus to the vagina.
The mutations cause the cells to multiply out of control and form a tumor. Cancer cells may invade nearby tissues and spread elsewhere in the body.
The two most common types of cervical cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma develops at the lining of the outer part of the cervix, whereas cervical adenocarcinoma develops in glandular cells in the cervical canal.
Many strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, contribute to the growth of cervical cancer cells.
Many women’s immune systems combat HPV, preventing the virus from causing cancer. Yet, some women are more susceptible to cervical cancer, as HPV lives in their bodies for years and aids in the emergence of cancer cells.
Most women with cervical cancer don’t experience signs in the early stages. But, as the disease progresses, symptoms such as abnormal vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse, between periods or after menopause may occur.
