Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer often shows no symptoms, especially at its earliest stages. As it can remain hidden, it is important to undergo a cervical cancer screening if you are older than 21.

More than 90% of cervical cancer cases today are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is a rather wide-spread disease, up to the third of men and women are infected. The virus can be spread through the physical contact with the infected area of mouth, genitalia and anus. American Cancer Society informs that the use of condoms can reduce HPV infecting level for of about 70 percent. The only effective way of HPV prevention is vaccination.

Some of the ways of cervical cancer prevention are preventive examinations and screenings.

At one time cervical cancer was considered one of the most dangerous types of female oncological diseases. Due to the effective screening with Papanicolaou vaginal swabbing (PAP test) now it is possible to detect cancerous growths on the cervix as early as possible.

If the PAP test has revealed pathological changes of cells, you should consult a gynecologist and undergo additional diagnostic examinations: colposcopy and biopsy.

Biopsy can be performed together with the process of removal of the pathologically changed part of the cervix.

Cervical cancer phases:

• the first phase of cervical cancer is the carcinoma in situ (also known as precancerous or severe dysplasia), when the group of ill-defined cells has started to grow but has not spread to adjacent tissues yet.
• early cervical cancer (stages I-IIA) is usually more extended than stage 0, however, cancerous growths are still restricted to the cervix.
• locally advanced cervical cancer (stages IIB-IVA) is the cancer spread beyond the confines of the cervix to the adjacent tissues such as vagina, rectum and urinary bladder.
• IVB stage means cancer spread beyond the pelvis (for example, to lungs or liver).

Having confirmed the diagnosis and determined the phase of the disease, a doctor can prescribe additional diagnostics: computerized tomography of thoracic, abdominal and pelvic organs, contrast-aided MRI of small pelvis that will help to determine the presence and the phase of the disease, to assess the tumor extension beyond the cervix in other parts of the body.

A doctor prescribes a treatment on the basis of the data received during diagnostics and individual characteristics of a patient. A choice of treatment approach at Dobrobut oncological center is always approved by a multidisciplinary oncological concilium.

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