Sexual Health Buzz

What is cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix. The cervix is the part of the uterus that connects the upper part of the uterus (the womb) and the vagina.

Cervical cancer is a serious condition that can be life threatening. When a woman becomes infected with certain high-risk types of HPV and does not clear the infection, abnormal cells can develop in the lining of the cervix.

If not discovered early and treated, these abnormal cells can become cervical pre cancers and then possibly cancer. Most often this can take a number of years, although in rare cases it can happen within a year.

Who gets cervical cancer?

About half of all females diagnosed with cervical cancer are between 35 and 55 years old. What many of these women may not realize is that they were most likely exposed to one of the high-risk types of HPV during their teens and 20s.

The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2005 there were 10,370 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in the United States, and 3,710 women died from the disease.

How do I know if I have cervical cancer?

The usual way to detect cervical cancer is through a Pap test. If the results of a Pap test indicate that you have abnormal cervical cells, it’s important to follow your healthcare professional’s recommendations for more testing, such as repeat Pap testing, HPV DNA testing, colposcopy (examination of the cervix through a magnifying device), and possible biopsy (obtaining a tissue sample for analysis in the lab).

How is cervical cancer treated?

The three main methods are surgery (an operation to remove the cancer), radiation therapy (using high energy beams to destroy cancer cells), and chemotherapy (using medications to disrupt the growth of cancer cells). Sometimes treatment included two or more of these methods.

Before choosing a treatment, a healthcare professional will consider the size of the cancer, whether it has spread, the woman’s age and overall health, and patient preferences. The treatment that is right for one person may not be right for someone else.

These facts do not cover everything there is to know about cervical cancer. Talk to your healthcare professional or visit HPV.com for more information.

* This information was presented strictly for personal use as well as educational purposes. With all the discussion about ways we can prevent HPV I would think that this would help people get to the root of this issue.

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