What is cancer of the cervix or cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix — the cervix is at the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina.
Differs strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, play a role in causing most cervical cancer.
At exposure to the virus, the body’s immune system tends to prevent the virus. However, this virus’s life span is high, hence, making the cancerous cells jumping attack from the body’s immune system.
Causes of cervical cancer
Cervical cancer begins when healthy cells in the cervix develop sudden or gradual changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell’s DNA is the controlling unit of a cell with encoded information on what the cells represent and its function.
A healthy cell has a span, meanwhile, a mutated cell grows wild with a dent of unhealthy material on its which turns to be cancerous. If the cell is left to grow, it will cause more havoc, hence, rendering the organ ineffective or morbid.
Cervical Cancer Symptoms
You might not notice symptoms of cervical cancer until it’s far along. They may include:
- Pain when you have sex
- Unusual vaginal bleeding, such as after sex, between periods, after menopause, or after a pelvic exam
- Unusual vaginal discharge with strong odour
After it has spread, cancer can cause:
- Pelvic pain
- Trouble peeing
- Swollen legs
- Kidney failure
- Bone pain
- Weight loss and lack of appetite
- Fatigue
These symptoms can have other causes, including infection. If you notice any of the following, try to find us a lasting cure.
Risk factors of cervix cancer
You are more vulnerable to cervical (cervix) cancer if you have:
- Many sexual partners: unabated sexual desire has been found to be one of the predisposing factors of people to cervical cancer, summarily, the greater your number of sexual partners, the greater your chance of acquiring HPV.
- Early sexual activity: perhaps, you may yet to get convinced on why you are confirmed as a sufferer of cervical cancer knowing the length and breadth of your sex life and immune system, however, if, at your forming age, you have severely had rough sex, this expose you to the disease.
- Other sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Having other STIs — such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV/AIDS — increases your risk of HPV.
- A weakened immune system: You may be more likely to develop cervical cancer if your immune system is weakened by another health condition and you have HPV.
- Smoking: Little to say about this because, obviously, you are warned on the harmful effect of smoking most especially to woman.
- Birth control pills: Long-term use of some common contraceptive pills slightly raises a woman’s risk, this may have been the reason of your present predicament, however, this is the least in the pecking order.
Cervical cancer treatment
Most cancerous conditions are often fatal and weakening and hardly respond to any form of herb or local concoction. However, some cancerous cells have been medically, the treatment involves:
- Surgery
- Radiotherapy
- Chemotherapy or combinations of these.
Deciding on the kind of treatment depends on several factors, such as the stage of cancer, as well as age and overall health condition of the sufferer.
Treatment for early-stage cervical cancer, when cancer remains within the cervix, has a good success rate. The further cancer spreads from its original area, the lower the success rate tends to be.
Prevention of cervical cancer
A number of measures can assist in reducing the chances of developing cervical cancer, most of the measure are revolves around avoiding the risk factors.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
The link between the development of cervical cancer and some types of HPV is clear. If every female keeps to the current HPV vaccination programs, they could reduce the frequency of cervical cancer.
Safe sex and cervical cancer
The HPV vaccine only protects against two HPV strains. Other strains can cause cervical cancer. Using a condom during sex helps protect from HPV infection.
Cervical screening
Regular cervical screening might help a person identify and deal with signs of cancer before the condition can develop or spread too far. It worth noting that screening does not detect cancer but indicates changes to the cells of the cervix.
Having fewer sexual partners
The more sexual partners a woman has, the higher the risk of transmitting the HPV virus becomes. This can lead to a higher risk of developing cervical cancer.
Delaying first sexual intercourse
The younger a woman is when she has sexual intercourse for the first time, the higher the risk of HPV infection becomes. The longer she delays it, the lower her risk.
Quit smoking
Women who smoke and have HPV face a higher risk of developing cervical cancer than people who do not.
Our medical tips
The fact that is cancerous doesn’t spell the end of the road most especially, if you give a utmost concern to the treatment and prevention approaches. Therefore, you are advised to keep to the guidelines on it preventable measures but if you have diagnosed of it, find us from this website, call to book appointment, always at your service.
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