The risk of cervical cancer is greater than we thought

• Worldwide, a woman dies of cervical cancer every 2 minutes. In the Philippines, cervical cancer is the 2nd leading killer cancer for women.
• Cervical cancer is a cancer that affects women of different ages and backgrounds around the world. It begins in the cervix – the part of the uterus (or womb) that opens to the vagina – and becomes gradually more invasive if left untreated.
• It is caused by Human Papilloma Virus usually transmitted thru sexual intercourse.
• Acquisition may be by skin-to-skin genital contact – penetrative intercourse is not necessary to become infected
• Condom usage may not adequately protect individuals from exposure to HPV.
• It is estimated that 50-80 percent of women will acquire an HPV infection in their lifetime
• Half of these women will be infected with cancer-causing HPV at some point, usually soon after their first sexual encounter
• Risk of HPV infection persisting increases with age: The older a woman gets, the higher her risk of persistent HPV infection (one that does not go away on its own).

Types of HPV

• There are many types of HPV and at least 30 of them target the genitalia
• Approximately 15 types are cancer-causing
• Globally, types 16 and 18 together account for more than 70% of cervical cancer cases
• Other cancer-causing types (in descending order of global prevalence) include 45, 31, 33, 52, 58, 35, 59, 56, 51, 39, 68, 73 and 82

Detection

• Pap smears are the best way to detect the early stages of cervical cancer as they identify cell changes to the cervix.
• There are usually no symptoms related to the early stages of cervical cancer.
• The risk of developing cervical cancer is approximately five times higher in women who are not regularly screened.
• Screening is important as it helps to detect the development of cervical cancer, but screening cannot prevent HPV infections from occurring.

There is good news.

New advances in science are on our side. A vaccine that targets HPV 16 and 18, the two most common cancer-causing types of HPV, is now available to help protect women against cervical cancer.

Cancer occurs when cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. Normal cells divide and grow in an orderly fashion, but cancer cells do not. They continue to grow and crowd out normal cells. Although there are many kinds of cancer, they all have in common this out-of-control growth of cells.

When cancer cells break away from a tumor and spread to other parts of the body through the blood or lymph system. They can settle in new places and form new tumors. Cancer that has spread in this way is called metastatic cancer.

Even when cancer has spread to a new place in the body, it is still named after the part of the body where it started. For example, if prostate cancer spreads to the bones, it is still called prostate cancer. If breast cancer spreads to the lungs, it is still breast cancer. When cancer comes back in a person who appeared to be free of the disease after treatment, it is called a recurrence.

What Is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer is malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. It may present with vaginal bleeding but symptoms may be absent until the cancer is in its advanced stages. Treatment consists of surgery (including local excision) in early stages and chemotherapy and radiotherapy in advanced stages of the disease.

Cancer of the cervix begins in the lining of the cervix. This cancer forms slowly. First, some cells begin to change from normal to pre-cancer and then to cancer.  This can take many years, but sometimes it happens faster. For some women, the pre-cancer changes may go away without any treatment. More often, they need to be treated to keep them from changing into true cancer.

First, some cells begin to change from normal to pre-cancer and then to cancer. This can take many years, but sometimes it happens faster.. For some women, the pre-cancer changes may go away without any treatment. More often, they need to be treated to keep them from changing into true cancers.

What Causes Cervical Cancer?

Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. For cervical cancer, the most important risk factor is infection with a virus known as HPV. HPV is really a group of more than 100 types of viruses that cause warts. Some types of HPV cause genital warts. Other types cause cancer of the cervix. HPV is passed from one person to another by skin-to-skin contact during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Having unprotected sex, especially at a young age, makes HPV infection more likely. Also, women who have many sex partners (or who have sex with men who have had many partners) have a greater chance of getting HPV.

Detection and Treatment

Pap smear screening can identify potentially precancerous changes. Treatment of high grade changes can prevent the development of cancer. In developed countries, the widespread use of cervical screening programs has reduced the incidence of invasive cervical cancer by 50% or more.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a necessary factor in the development of nearly all cases of cervical cancer. HPV vaccine effective against the two strains of HPV that cause the most cervical cancer has been licensed in the U.S. and the EU. These two HPV strains together are currently responsible for approximately 70% of all cervical cancers. Since the vaccine only covers some high-risk types, women should seek regular Pap smear screening, even after vaccination.