Kinds, Causes, Symptoms and Vaccine for Cervical Cancer

In the Philippines, the Cervical Cancer is the 5^th death causing disease for women. There are 7,277 new cases of cervical cancer and 3,087 of these resulted to death.

The most common type of cervical cancer is squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. All women has possibilities of having cervical cancer but the risk is much higher for women who have sex after their first menstruation, numerous sexual partners, exposed in sexually transmitted infection, women who have 5 or more children, previous or current smokers, those with poor health and weak immune system / resistance to the disease.

The common symptom is abnormal bleeding and unusual heavy discharge. Other signs are not noticeable or rarely felt like lower back and abdominal pain which is not related to menstrual cycle, pain while urinating, bleeding between menstruation and after sexual intercourse (caused by irritation of the cervix, pain during sexual intercourse or 30 minutes after orgasm; leakage of urine when coughing or hard blowing of the nose.

The cervical cancer is caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) which is sexually transmitted. This kind of virus lives in the skin and mucous membrane and usually no obviously felt symptoms and the invasive cancer is being developed 10-20 years after infection. Almost 8 out of 10 women were being infected by HPV in their lifetime.

The symptom is too hard be distinguished in the normal reproductive process of women, that’s why the sign of cervical cancer cannot be easily diagnosed because of the similarity with common conditions such as, PMS or premenstrual syndromes and ovulation pain which are usually not consulted to the physicians. There are instances that it shows no sign / symptoms at all but it is almost at the advance stage of the disease.

In 2006, FDA has approved the vaccine for the protection against 4 kinds of HPV viruses. This can be given to women ages 9-26, because it is recommended before women are exposed to HPV which means better if induced before they are sexually active.

It is said that there’s 5 years survival rate on cervical cancer at 83%. However, if will be detected at the earliest stage, the survival rate will increase to 95% that’s why women are advised even those who have menopause, to have their regular pap smear especially that there’s unnoticeable changes in the conditions of cervical cells. Yes, this disease can be treated, if diagnosed earlier.