Cervical cancer affects women. But it’s not something that should be ignored. Cervical tumor is a preventable disease. A vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) can prevent it.

Every woman is at risk for cervical tumor. But, if you are under age 30, your risk of getting it is low. About 75% of cervical tumors occur in women over age 35.

Early detection is the key to prevention. Regular Pap tests can detect precancerous changes in the cervix and are the best way to prevent cervical tumor. Most women will have at least one Pap test during their lifetime. The first test usually occurs at age 21. After age 30, women should have Pap tests every three years.

Cervical tumor kills more women than any other cancer. In 2008, nearly half a million women were diagnosed with cervical tumor. It is a cancer that goes undetected for years and can only be treated when it is in the advanced stages. Fortunately, early detection can save lives. The Pap test was introduced in the 1950s as a test to screen for abnormal cells in the cervix. This test helps to detect abnormal changes in the cervical cells, which may indicate cancer. This screening test has helped prevent deaths from cervical tumor by detecting it in its early stages. However, the Pap test does not provide information about the presence of HPV. That is why an HPV test (a simple swab) is sometimes combined with a Pap test to help diagnose cervical tumor.

Types 

There are two types of cervical tumor:

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type, accounting for about 70% of all cases of cervical tumor. Squamous cell carcinoma begins with abnormal cells that grow out of the lining of the cervix (the lower part of the uterus), which forms a lump in the cervix. These abnormal cells can spread to the pelvic area and nearby organs.

Adenocarcinoma

Adenocarcinoma is much less common, accounting for less than 25% of cases of cervical tumor. Adenocarcinoma begins with abnormal cells that form in the cervix and grow into glands. These abnormal cells can spread to the pelvic area and nearby organs.

cervical cancer symptoms

Symptoms of cervical tumor vary depending on the stage of the disease. Cervical tumor may cause no signs until the cancer has spread outside the cervix. Early signs include abnormal bleeding between periods, or bleeding that lasts longer than normal. Other early signs include irregular vaginal bleeding, anemia, pelvic pain, difficulty with urination, unusual vaginal discharge, and fever. Later signs of cervical tumor include swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, and pain in the abdomen, chest, shoulder, or back.

Cervical cancer is a potentially fatal disease that begins with signs that may be confused with those of the common cold. The first symptom is usually an abnormal vaginal discharge that may look like a string of pearls, cottage cheese or a thick, white mucus. Other signs include unusual bleeding between periods or spotting between menstrual periods, vaginal itching or irritation, pain during intercourse, pain during urination, pain in the lower back, pain and tingling in the genital area, pain during or after bowel movements, swollen lymph glands, unexplained weight loss and fatigue.

Causes

Cervical tumor is an abnormal growth that begins in the cervix. This growth can start as small amounts of tissue, and then grow into a lump that appears like a grape. As cervical tumor grows, it can spread to nearby tissues, such as the uterus, lymph nodes and blood vessels.

Cervical cancer is a disease caused by HPV, which is a virus. Most cervical tumors are detected in their early stages, when they can be treated successfully with surgery or radiation therapy. Early-stage cervical tumors may sometimes be treated with chemotherapy or a combination of radiation and chemotherapy. However, chemotherapy is only effective if the cancer is still confined to the cervix, and even then only in certain stages. Because cervical tumor often spreads through lymph nodes, the prognosis for advanced-stage tumors is poor. Although there are vaccines available for preventing some strains of HPV, no vaccine is available against all HPV types. In addition, vaccines against other HPV types that cause genital warts may reduce the incidence of cervical tumor in young women, but they do not prevent its development.

The term cervical tumor was first used in 1855 by Rudolf Virchow to describe a tumor that appeared in the cervix of women in their 20s. Cervical tumor usually occurs between 30 and 60 years old. Most people who develop cervical tumor are sexually active women between 25 and 45 years of age, but cervical tumor can occur in younger women. About 15 out of every 100,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical tumor each year in the United States. Only about half of these cancers will be found early enough to be treated effectively. Cervical tumor is the second most common cause of cancer death among women worldwide after breast cancer.

Cervical cancer usually occurs between 30 and 60 years old. Most people who develop cervical tumor are sexually active women between 25 and 45 years of age, but cervical tumor can occur in younger women. About 15 out of every 100,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical tumor each year in the United States. Only about half of these cancers will be found early enough to be treated effectively.

cervical cancer treatment

The goal of cervical tumor treatment is to help the patient maintain or regain an acceptable quality of life, while minimizing the likelihood of future morbidity and mortality. Cervical tumor can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and brachytherapy. The therapies can be administered locally or systemically. The local therapies include hysterectomy, cone biopsy, LEEP, cold knife ionization, cryosurgery, radiofrequency ablation, laser therapy, and laser surgery. The systemic therapies include combination chemotherapy, combination radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and anti-angiogenic therapy.

Screening tests include the Pap smear, which looks for changes in cells, and the human papillomavirus (HPV) test, which detects the virus itself. Both tests are performed as part of routine gynecologic exams.