Cervical Cancer is a malignant tumor that grows in the neck of the womb / cervix (the lowest part of the uterus attached to the top of the vagina. Cervical cancer usually affects women aged 35-55 years. 90% of cervical cancers are from squamous cell lining the cervix and the remaining 10% comes from mucus-producing gland cells in the cervical channel leading into the uterus.
CAUSE
Cervical cancer occurs when cervical cells become abnormal and divide uncontrollably. If cervical cells continue to divide it will form a mass of tissue called a tumor can be benign or malignant. If the tumor is malignant, then the condition is called cervical cancer.
The cause of abnormalities in cervical cells are not known for certain, but there are some risk factors that influence the occurrence of cervical cancer:
HPV (human papillomavirus)
HPV is the virus that causes genital warts (condyloma akuminata) that is transmitted through sexual contact. Variant that is very dangerous is HPV types 16, 18, 45 and 56.
Smoke
Tobacco damage the immune system and affect the body's ability to fight HPV infection of the cervix.
First sexual intercourse at an early age
Multiple sexual partners
Husband / partner first sexual intercourse at age below 18 years old, have multiple sexual partners and had been married to women who suffer from cervical cancer
Use of DES (diethylstilbestrol) in pregnant women to prevent miscarriage (widely used in the year 1940 to 1970)
Immune system disorders
Use of birth control pills
Infection of genital herpes or chronic chlamydia infections
Economically weak (because it is not capable of doing Pap smears on a regular basis)
In the state of Cervical Pre cancer
The cells on the surface of the cervix sometimes appear abnormal but not ganas.Para scientists believe that some abnormal changes in cervical cells is the first step of a series of slow changes, which a few years later, can cause abnormal changes kanker.Karena it is a state of some precancerous, which can turn into cancer.
When this has been used a different term for abnormal changes in cells on the surface of the cervix, one of which is squamous intraepithelial lesions (mean lesion tissue abnormalities, intraepithelial means that abnormal cells are found only in the surface layer).
Changes in these cells can be divided into 2 groups:
Low-level lesions: an early change in the size, shape and number of cells that form the surface of the cervix. Some low-level lesions disappear by itself. But others grow into larger and more abnormal, forming a high-level lesions. Low-level lesions also called mild dysplasia or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1 (NIS 1). Low-level lesions most often found in women aged 25-35 years, but also can occur in all age groups.
High-level lesions: found a large number of precancerous cells that look very different from normal cells. These precancerous changes occur only in cells on the surface of the cervix. For months, even years, these cells will not become savage and will not infiltrate into the deeper layers of the cervix. High-level lesions also called dysplasia medium or severe dysplasia, NIS 2 or 3, or carcinoma in situ. High-level lesions most often found in women aged 30-40 years.
If abnormal cells spread deeper into the cervix or to other organs or tissues, mada condition is called cervical cancer or invasive cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is most often found in over 40 years.
SYMPTOMS
Precancerous changes in the cervix usually do not cause symptoms and these changes are not detected unless a woman is undergoing a pelvic examination and Pap smear.
Symptoms usually only appear when abnormal cervical cells become malignant and infiltrate the surrounding tissue. At this time there will be the following symptoms:
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding, especially between the 2 periods, after sexual intercourse and after menopause
- Abnormal Menstruation (longer and more)
- Whitish settled, with a watery liquid, pink, brown, contains blood or black and foul smelling.
Symptoms of advanced cervical cancer:
- Decreased appetite, weight loss, fatigue
- Pelvic pain, back or leg
- From the vagina out of urine or feces
- Broken bones (fractures).
Diagnosis
Diagnosis based on symptoms and examination results of the following:
Pap smears
Pap smears can detect up to 90% of cervical cancer cases accurately and at a cost that is not too expensive. Consequently servikspun number of cancer deaths decreased by more than 50%. Any woman who has been sexually active or have reached age 18 years, should undergo regular Pap smear is 1 times / year. If for 3 consecutive times showed normal results, Pap smears can be done 1 kali/2-3tahun.
Pap smear results indicate stages of cervical cancer:
- Normal
- Mild dysplasia (early changes that have not are malignant)
- Severe dysplasia (change-up that has not malignant)
- Carcinoma in situ (cancer confined to the outermost layer of the cervix)
- Invasive cancer (cancer has spread to the deeper layers of the cervix or to other organs).
Biopsy
A biopsy performed if the pelvic examination appears a growth or injury to the cervix, or if the Pap smear shows an abnormality or cancer.
Colposcopy (examination of the cervix with a magnifying lens)
Schiller test
Cervical lauran smeared with iodine, a healthy cell color will change to brown, while abnormal cells turn white or yellow color.
To help determine the stage of cancer, do some examine the following:
- Cystoscopy
- Chest X-rays
- Intravenous urography
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Skening bone and liver
- Barium enema.
