what is cervical cancer?

[Everthing]

what is cervical cancer?

[iSki]

To start off...cervical cancer is only present in women."Cervical cancer: malignant cancer of the cervix or cervical area. It may present with vaginal bleeding but symptoms may be absent until the cancer is in its advanced stages, which has made cervical cancer the focus of intense screening efforts using the Pap smear."To deal with cervical cancer, surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are available treatments.It is caused by the human papillomavirus. Women who tend to have sex with many different partners end up having a high-risk.It is a high risk strain with 60 different types, but thankfully only two cause 70% of the fatal cancers.The human papillomavirus is transfered by skin contact during intercourse so it is classified as an STD. Condoms do help lessen the risk.To diagnose the cervical cancer, you will require a pap smear test. For a pre-cancer, you will also require a biopsy of the cervix. Furthermore, you may have to go through loop electrical excision procedure (LEEP) and conization, which removes the lining of the cervix to be examined pathologically. This is only necessary if the biopsy confirms a severe case. STAGES OF THE CANCER * Stage 0 - full-thickness involvement of the epithelium without invasion into the stroma (carcinoma in situ) * Stage I - limited to the uterus o IA - diagnosed only by microscopy; no visible lesions + IA1 - stromal invasion less than 3 mm in depth and 7 mm or less in horizontal spread + IA2 - stromal invasion between 3 and 5 mm with horizontal spread of 7 mm or less o IB - visible lesion or a microscopic lesion with more than 5 mm of depth or horizontal spread of more than 7 mm + IB1 - visible lesion 4 cm or less in greatest dimension + IB2 - visible lesion more than 4 cm * Stage II - invades beyond cervix o IIA - without parametrial invasion, but involve upper 2/3 of vagina o IIB - with parametrial invasion * Stage III - extends to pelvic wall or lower third of the vagina o IIIA - involves lower third of vagina o IIIB - extends to pelvic wall and/or causes hydronephrosis or non-functioning kidney * IVA - invades mucosa of bladder or rectum and/or extends beyond true pelvis * IVB - distant metastasis

en.wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervical_cancer)