About Cervical Cancer

• Cervical cancer affects the tissues surrounding the cervix. According to the American Cancer Society, cervical cancer is most common in middle-aged African-American and Hispanic women. The National Cancer Institute has found that infection with a common sexually-transmitted disease, human papillomavirus (HPV), is the biggest risk factor for cervical cancer. Statistics published in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicate that 26.8 percent of women between the ages of 14 and 59 have this virus. However, doctors are quick to point out that HPV will not lead to cervical cancer in all women.
  
  

Symptoms

• The early stages of cervical cancer typically demonstrate no noticeable symptoms. As the disease progresses, cervical cancer may cause vaginal bleeding or spotting, heavy periods, pain and discharge, according to the American Cancer Society. Cervical cancer is most commonly detected during a woman's annual pap smear exam, in which cells are swabbed from the cervix and studied for any abnormalities. Like many cancers, early detection will improve the long-term prognosis.
  
  

Early Treatment

• If cervical cancer is caught early, surgery may be a treatment option. Your doctor may perform cryosurgery or laser surgery to kill the cancer cells on the cervix. In cryosurgery, liquid nitrogen is placed directly on the cervix to freeze and kill the cancer cells, while laser surgery uses a laser beam to burn off the cancer cells from the cervix. Both of these treatments are used to treat stage 0 cervical cancer. Women with stage 1A cervical cancer may be treated with a biopsy or a hysterectomy, which involves the surgical removal of the uterus and cervix.
  
  

Later Treatment

• Women with more advanced cervical cancers will usually be treated with a combination of radiation, chemotherapy or hysterectomy. Radiation therapy uses potent x-rays to target the cancer cells, and can be administered externally or internally. External beam radiation feels similar to receiving an x-ray, while internal radiation therapy places radioactive material directly onto or near the cancerous areas of the cervix. Depending on your treatment plan, radiation may be administered in conjunction with chemotherapy, which may be injected or administered in pill form. Your doctor will determine the best course of treatment depending on the severity of your cervical cancer.
  
  

Prevention

• Dr. Eileen Dunne at the CDC has determined that up to 70 percent of cervical cancer cases may be caused by two strains of HPV. In 2006, the FDA approved Gardasil--the first vaccine that protects against HPV and may reduce the rates of cervical cancer. The federal government recommends that parents vaccinate their daughters with Gardasil starting at age 11. The vaccine is given three times over a period of six months, and while it will not provide complete protection against HPV or cervical cancer, the National Cancer Institute believes that this vaccine has the potential to reduce cervical cancer deaths by 60 percent.