Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix, which is part of a female's reproductive system. Cervical cancer almost always stems from the sexually transmitted disease known as human papillomavirus.CDC: Cervical Cancer

In women, the cervix is the opening that connects the uterus to the vagina. For most of a woman's life, the cervix remains thick with only a small opening. The cervix dilates and effaces prior to childbirth to allow the baby to pass through the cervix and enter the vagina. Cervical cancer involves a malignant tumor in this location, but the tumor may or may not cause symptoms, so regular testing is necessary to detect cervical cancer early.

This page is designed to provide some basic information on cervical cancer. This page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you have cervical cancer, please consult your doctor.

While there are two predominant classifications of cervical cancer, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, an estimated 80 to 90 percent of cases are of the squamous cell carcinomas form. Adenocarcinomas account for about 10 to 20 percent of cervical cancer cases, but these are growing in prevalence in women ranging from 20 to 30 years old.http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_cervical_cancer_8.asp]

Cervical cancer can be either invasive or noninvasive, with the noninvasive forms being about four times more likely than invasive cases.

• New cases (invasive): Estimated 11,170 in 2008ACS: What Are the Key Statistics About Cervical Cancer?
• Deaths: Estimated 3,870 in 2008ACS: What Are the Key Statistics About Cervical Cancer?
• Deaths dropped 74% between 1955 and 1992ACS: What Are the Key Statistics About Cervical Cancer?
• Death rate declines by 4% each yearACS: What Are the Key Statistics About Cervical Cancer?
• Annual cost: Estimated $1.7 billionNCI: A Snapshot of Cervical Cancer

Depending on the extent of the cancer, treatment can include trachelectomy, or removal of all or part of the cervix, hysterectomy or removal of the cervix and uterus, removal of lymph nodes, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.

If the cancer is localized, a loop electrical excision procedure or a localized trachelectomy can be used. In both of these cases, part of the cervix is preserved, and after recovery the woman still has a high rate of conceiving and bringing a baby to term. In the case of hysterectomy, removal of the uterus precludes future pregnancies.