CERVICAL CANCER

CERVICAL CANCER [A MUST READ FOR EVERY WOMAN] * What is cervical cancer? * Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells on the cervix grow out of control. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. * _______________ CAUSES__________________ Human papillomavirus, (HPV). You can get HPV by having sexual contact with someone who has it. Women who have many sexual partners (or who have sex with men who had many other partners) have a greater risk and early sexual contact. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms. You can have HPV for years and not know it. It stays in your body and can lead to cervical cancer years after you were infected. Genital warts (or Condylomata acuminata, venereal warts, anal warts and anogenital warts) is a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease caused by some sub-types of human papillomavirus (HPV). It is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact during oral, genital, or anal sex with an infected partner. Warts are the most easily recognized symptom of genital HPV infection, HPV can be transmitted by skin-to-skin-contact with infected areas. * _______________ SYMPTOMS_________________ 1. Post coital bleeding,which is any bleeding after sexual intercourse. 2. change in your menstrual cycle that you can't explain. 3. Vaginal discharge that is tinged with blood. 4. Pelvic pain. 5. Foul smelling vaginal discharge. 6. Menopausal women,any bleeding after menopause. 7. Pain during sex. * ___ HOW CERVIC CANCER IS DIAGNOSED___ Regular pelvic exams and Pap testing can detect pre cancerous changes in the cervix. Precancerous changes in the cervix may be treated with cryosurgery, cauterization, or laser surgery. During a Pap test the doctor scrapes a small sample of cells from the surface of the cervix to look for cell changes. If a Pap test shows abnormal cell changes, your doctor may do other tests to look for precancerous or cancer cells on your cervix. Your doctor may also do a Pap test and take a sample of tissue if you have symptoms of cervical cancer, such as bleeding after sex. Treatment options for cervical cancer include radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy. * _____________ PREVENTION________________ *Regular Pap tests almost always show these cell changes before they turn into cancer. *The best way to avoid getting a sexually transmitted disease is to not have sex. *vaccines Cervarix and Gardasil can protect against two types of HPV that cause cervical cancer. Gardasil also protects against two types of HPV that cause genital warts. *have protected sex/safer sex *limit the number of sex partners. * N:B condoms don't always protect against HPV