Your cervix is a canal between the lower part of the uterus, or womb, and vagina, or birth canal. It is part of the female reproductive system, and has the ability to open and close.
Cancer of your cervix, or cervical cancer, is most often caused by various strains of the human papillomavirus. HPV for short.
HPV is a sexually transmitted infection, to which most women’s immune system prevents from causing a health issue. In a few, the virus can persist for years, with an eventual potential to convert some of their cervical cells to cancerous ones.
During the early stages of cervical cancer, you’ll likely experience no symptoms. As the HPV caused conversion of cervical to cancer cells progresses, these symptoms may emerge:
- pelvic pain
- painful intercourse
- between period bleeding
- bleeding after intercourse
- post menopausal bleeding
- heavy & foul odor discharge
- watery, bloody vaginal discharge
The bulk of females infected with HPV do not end up with cervical cancer. Several risk factors are associated with a higher incidence of this painful intercourse cancer:
- cigarette smoking
- multiple child births
- many sexual partners
- early age sexual activity
- weakened immune system
- Pap test irregularity or never
- long term oral contraceptive use
- other STDs ~ chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV
A couple of these are considered risks because they increase your chances for contracting HPV. Pap tests detect HPV or pre-cancer noninvasive cells in the cervix.
Since cervical cancer originates from pre-cancer cells, early detection and apt treatment can help prevent almost all future cervical cancers. Noninvasive cancer cell treatment include:
- cryosurgery
- laser surgery
- cold knife cone biopsy
- loop electrosurgical excision procedure
These pelvic pain treatments are highly effective in destroying pre-cancers, thus preventing them from maturing into cervical cancer. Invasive cervical cancer requires more expansive treatment, such as:
Ask your health care person about all possible side effects caused by these treatments. New on the cervical cancer prevention health front is a HPV virus vaccine. It has a protection rate of about 70% against the four types of cervical cancer causing HPV. The vaccine is called Gardasil, and it is approved by the FDA.
This HPV virus vaccine is recommended for girls in the 11 to 12 age group. Why so young? The cervical cancer vaccine blocks certain HPV strains only if you haven’t had a previous exposure. Also, vaccinating young teenagers results in higher immune system created antibody levels.
With a consequence of greater protection. Your injections of HPV virus vaccine does not replace the Pap test. This must do screening continues to be an essential part of your health maintenance. The unfortunate aspect of cervical cancer is it tends to turn up during childbearing years. And this pelvic pain cancer’s treatment may cause infertility.
