Cervical Cancer

After completing the health risk assessment on the Life Resource Center website, I have decided to write about cervical cancer.      
Cervical cancer is the third most common type of cancer in women. It is much less common in the United States because of the common use of Pap smears. Cervical cancers start their spread in the cells on the surface of the cervix. The cervix's surface is constructed by the squamous and the columnar cells. Most cervical cancers are from squamous cells.
Cervical cancer (for the most part) usually develops at a slow rate. It starts as a precancerous condition called dysplasia. This precondition can be detected by a Pap smear and is 100% treatable. This is why it is so important for women to get Pap smears regularly. Most women who are found to have cervical cancer today have not had regular Pap smears or haven’t followed up on abnormal Pap smear results.
Undetected precancerous changes can develop into cervical cancer and spread to the bladder and other organs such as intestines, lungs, and liver. It can sometimes take years for precancerous changes to turn into cervical cancer. Patients with cervical cancer do not usually perceive problems until the cancer is advanced and has spread.
Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV (human papilloma virus). HPV is a common virus that is spread through sexual intercourse. There are many different types of HPV and some of these strains lead to cervical cancer
Some risk factors for cervical cancer are:
Multiple sexual partners
Poor economic status (may not be able to afford regular Pap smears)
Having sex at an early age
Sexual partners who have multiple partners or who participate in high-risk sexual activities
Weakened immune system
Women whose mothers took the drug DES during pregnancy in the early 1960’s to prevent miscarriage
There are some things we can do to prevent cervical cancer.   One of these is smoking, if you smoke you should quit.   Smoking increases your chances of... [continues]

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