I believe that cervical cancer awareness has spread throughout the world. Companies in a variety of industries are taking matters into their own hands, inviting educated individuals and experts to give seminars on cervical cancer to educate their employees. Churches in Nigeria, including those in rural regions, welcomed guest lecturers to educate their congregations about cervical cancer.
But, if you’re still unsure about what cervical cancer is and how serious it may be, this article is for you. The purpose of this article is to describe the development, symptoms, and stages of cervical cancer. Without further ado, let us get on with today’s business.
What is Cervical Cancer?
Ranked as the fourth most prevalent cancer among women worldwide, cervical cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the cells of the cervix; that is the lower part of the uterus which connects to the vagina. Cervical cancer accounted for approximately 660,000 new cases and resulted in around 350,000 deaths just in 2022.
Causes of Cervical Cancer
The majority of medical disorders are the result of a disease or underlying health condition. Cervical cancer is not any different. Cervical cancer is mostly caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. This virus is primarily transmitted by intimate skin-to-skin contact, or sexual intercourse.
There are distinct types of HPV. However, certain HPV types provide a substantial risk, such as HPV-16 and HPV-18. When these high-risk types come into touch with cells in the cervix, they gradually transform them into abnormal cells. If these cells are not treated, they can develop into malignant cells, which leads to cancer.
Aside from HPV, there are additional risk factors for cervical cancer, such as smoking, which weakens the immune system and reduces its capacity to fight HPV infections. The immune system can be damaged by immunosuppressive medications, HIV/AIDS, and other illnesses in addition to smoking.
Symptoms of Cervical Cancer
Unfortunately, cervical cancer has no symptoms in its early stages, making detection difficult. However, when the cancer advances, symptoms become visible. Symptoms include:
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding (occur between periods, after sexual intercourse, or after menopause)
- Vaginal discharge (watery, bloody, or having a foul odor)
- Pelvic pain
- Discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse
Cancer Stages
Cancer stages range from stage I to stage IV. These stages are classified according to their spread to distant organs and lymph nodes, tumor growth, and invasion into surrounding tissues.
- Stage I: Cancer is in its original development area and hasn’t spread to nearby tissues.
- Stage II: Cancer spreads to nearby tissues but not distant tissues.
- Stage III: Cancer further spreads to nearby lymph nodes and tissues.
- Stage IV: Cancer spreads to distant organs and tissues. This process is known as metastasis.
Conclusion
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the world, caused mostly by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and additional risk factors such as smoking. Unfortunately, cervical cancer has no signs in the early stages, but as it grows, it can cause symptoms such as vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, and so on.
There are several phases of this cancer. The first stage occurs when cancerous cells remain in the location where they formed. By the second stage, cancerous cells have spread to neighboring tissues. In the third stage, these cells have migrated to surrounding tissues and lymph nodes. In the last stage, the malignant cells undergo a process known as metastasis, in which the cancer spreads to distant organs.
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