Henrietta Lacks (1920 - 1951) died in 1951 of a cancerous tumor that developed very fast. Her cells are the first to have been cultivated in vitro (after her death and therefore without her consent). It was then shipped around the world as the HeLa cell line. It is estimated that the number of living HeLa cells today represents a biomass greater than that of cells of Henrietta Lacks in her lifetime.

Her children have now learned about this and have publicly expressed their disapproval that the service rendered after the post-mortem to science by their mother has not even won back a decent burial.

Cervical cancer is the major cause of death by cancer in women in many third world countries and represents 20 to 30% of cancers of women in these countries against 4 to 6% of female cancers in North America and Europe. It is the second leading cause of female cancers in the world with nearly 500 000 new cases a year. It is responsible for nearly 270 000 deaths annually that is over three quarters in the third world.

Mass screening by cervico-vaginal smears for the diagnosis and treatment of tumor lesions is being carried out in several countries. It contributes to a decrease in mortality of about 50%.

The cause of cervical cancer

Human papillomaviruses HPV16 and HPV18 are found in 80% of cancers of the cervix and in-situ lesions of high grade.

Other risk factors include early age at first report and the presence of multiple partners, smoking, and a low socio-economic.

Contraceptive estrogen-progestin is associated with a moderate increase of risk of developing cervical cancer (increased risk of less than 1%).

Cervical cancer in a HIV positive patient may be more aggressive and less responsive to

Functional signs of cervical cancer

The main sign is bleeding in the genital tract, caused most often through sexual intercourse. But any abnormal bleeding, whatever its characteristics, can reveal cancer. Vaginal bleeding is also a manifestation especially in cases of superimposed infection.

Prevention of cervical cancer

The prevention of invasive cancer based on screening for precancerous lesions.

Clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the vaccine against HPV, in terms of prevention of cervical cancer. The marketing of the first HPV vaccine in 2006 is a milestone in the fight against squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

Carrageenan extracted from red algae is hundred times more effective in vitro papillomavirus that the best inhibitor of this virus on the market today. Its effectiveness in women however remains to be demonstrated.

Histological type’s cervical cancer

There are two main types of cervical cancer:

In two thirds of cases it is a squamous cell carcinoma which develops from the epithelial lining of the cervix.

In less than a quarter of cases, it is an adenocarcinoma that develops from the glandular lining of the cervix.

Clinical examination

In advanced stages, examination speculum, we see a lesion as a burgeoning or ulcerative cervical or even ulcerative burgeoning. The vaginal will evaluate the extension of cancer beyond the cervix: vaginas, side wall of the cervix, cul-de-sac side of the vagina through which one palp parameters that can be invaded, bladder and rectum (rectal touch).

In case of non-visible lesions, colposcopy allows you to find the lesion and direct biopsy.

The biopsy of the lesion is the key consideration of the diagnosis and confirms the invasiveness of cancer, histological type and grade of differentiation.

Extension

Before any treatment, it is necessary to determine the volume of cancer. Indeed, the prognosis is directly related to the volume. Depending on the volume, some treatments are unnecessary because they can not survive long. The magnetic resonance imaging during the study of the urinary tract, allows viewing of the lymphadenopathy but if they are small, it does not discriminate normal lymph nodes invaded. Tomography to positron emission, coupled with computed tomography (CT scan), appears to be a promising technique in these cases.