This month of January is designated as “Cervical Cancer Awareness Month” by the U.S. Congress. There are almost 79 million people with HPV and every year, almost 13,000 females are being diagnosed with cervical cancer in the country. But, according to health experts, the disease is preventable. So, the primary aim of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is to create awareness among women so as to prevent cervical cancer from developing.

Cervical Cancer – An Introduction:

Cervical cancer starts in the cell lining of the cervix, which is the lower part of the uterus. It’s to be noted here that these cells don’t develop into cancer all of a sudden. Rather, the ordinary cervical cells will first develop pre-cancerous symptoms that would turn into cancer at a later point in time. One can differentiate between these pre-cancerous cells and cervical cancer cells by the way they appear under a microscopic view.

Cervical Cancer Types:

There are two major types of cervical cancer:

• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Adenocarcinoma

Of all the reported cervical cancer cases, about 80 to 90% of cases are the first type (Squamous cell carcinoma), which would begin in the squamous cells that are covering the exocervix. These cells would appear like squamous cells under the microscopic view. A majority of other cases are adenocarcinomas, which has become common in the past two to three decades only. This type of cervical cancer would start from the endocervix. In rare cases, both these types of cancer cells can be found in the affected female. Such cases are called as “adenosquamous carcinoma”.

Pre-cancerous Changes to Cervical Cancer – The Transformation:

Yes, of course, cervical cancer has its starting point in the pre-cancerous changes. But, it’s to be understood that not all women with pre-cancerous cells will get cervical cancer. The transformation from the pre-cancerous cells to cervical cancer will generally take several years, although it can take place in less than one year in some people. In a majority of women, the pre-cancerous cells will stay unaltered and go away without the help of treatments, whereas, in some cases, these cells would transform into invasive cancers.

Is there any risk factor for Cervical Cancer?

Yes, there are some risk factors for cervical cancer. The most important risk factor is found to be human papilloma virus. Apart from this, the other risk factors for this type of cancer include the following:

• Smoking
• Immunosuppression
• Chlamydia Infection
• Diet
• Oral Contraceptives
• Multiple pregnancies
• Young age pregnancy
• Poverty
• Diethylstilbestrol
• Family history

Signs and Symptoms:

In general, women with cervical pre-cancer cells or early cervical cancer cells will not show any symptoms. Most often, the symptoms will not start until the pre-cancerous cells turn out to be invasive. During this phase of cancer, the common symptoms that can be seen are:

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Unusual vaginal discharges
• Pain during intercourse
• Pelvic pain
• Increased urination
• Pain in urination

While it’s true that these signs and symptoms can also be due to the other health conditions than cervical cancer, women who experience these symptoms are advised to consult with a healthcare professional and get tested for them. This should be done by women who are take regular Pap tests as well. It’s important to be tested because if it is caused by an infection, treatment is required. And, if it’s cancer, neglecting these important symptoms will allow it to advance to the next stage. Thus, the chances of getting treated will be lowered.

How can it be prevented?

There is some good news about preventing cervical cancer! The HPV vaccine has the ability to prevent the development of HPV, which is quoted as the major risk factor for cervical cancer. In addition to this, women are advised to get regular screening tests like Pap tests and their follow-up care. These screening tests can help identify the abnormal cells (precancerous or early cancer cells) at the earliest. Thus, the development of cancer can be prevented by treatments. It has been found that most deaths due to cervical cancers can be prevented by these screenings and their follow-ups. In the United States, such deaths are found to be declining by 2% a year due to these regular tests. This decline rate can be increased further by the proper awareness. Each and every woman should make use of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month to spread the word about the significant steps to be taken by women to prevent cervical cancer. This can be done by encouraging other women to get their Pap tests done and by asking them to get their HPV vaccine shots. Thus, making a difference is easier for everyone!