Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Cervical Cancer - Symptoms and Treatment Options

By Ray White


Recommended Reading
Cancer-Free -- Third Edition.
Cancer Is Easy To Overcome -- I'll Show You How


Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases all over the world. There are almost 100 different types of this disease. Cancer is caused by abnormal multiplication of cells. Any kind of abnormal growth or lump in any part of the body must be screened for cancerous properties. The success of treatment for cancer depends on how early it is detected.
Generally, cancer symptoms show up only when the cancer is almost in the advanced stage. Each kind of cancer has its own symptoms but some of the most widely noticed symptoms are:
o Chronic fatigue o Abrupt weight loss o Pain o Continuous mild or high fever o Abnormal bowel movements o Persistent coughing o Sores that don't heal o Unusual vaginal discharge or bleeding between regular menstrual periods (for women)
These symptoms are generally noticed but not much attention is paid because these are usually linked to non cancerous health problems also. Treatment for cancer depends on how advanced it is and what kind of cancer it is.
Breast cancer and cervical cancer are the two top killers cancers found in women the world over. Cervical cancer attacks the cervix, which is the lower portion of the uterus connecting the uterus to the vagina. It is usually caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is a kind of virus that gets transmitted sexually and infects the cervix. If the patient's immune system is not strong enough to flush it out, normal cells in the cervix start growing in an uncontrollable fashion to form lesions. These are called genital warts and all warts might not be cancerous. Other factors like smoking, multiple sex partners, and low immunity may also add to the HPV to cause cancer. In its very early stages, the cancer is barely discernible.
PAP smear screening can help check for cervical cancer. The symptoms of cervical cancer become obvious only in later stages. The patient may have back pain, pelvic pain, loss of appetite and vaginal bleeding including contact bleeding. This is a sexually transmitted disease and so women who are sexually active from a very young age form the high risk group. Cervical cancer spreads slowly and is not detectable for some years.
Dysphasia is the stage when cancerous cells turn malignant. After this the cancer spreads out to all surrounding tissues.
The first treatment is surgery where the uterus and the cervix are removed through the abdomen or vagina. In advanced cases, infected lymph nodes, ovaries and fallopian tubes are also removed. LEEP or Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure is less expensive and quite successful also. Cone biopsy followed by radiation therapy is also a treatment option.
Nowadays vaccines for cervical cancer are available. In the early stages, radiation is used to treat cervical cancer while chemotherapy is used in the later stages. Diagnostic tests, if carried out early help determine the best treatment and chances of survival are greatly improved. The medical history of a person can also be a factor in causing cancer. A gynecological oncologist should be consulted for cervical cancer treatment.
Ray White is a free lance writer and a health & fitness expert who has been associated with several health care providers across various specialties. Through his articles, Alex wishes to inform and educate public about cancer treatment which will benefit those who are looking for resourceful information regarding health.

Recommended Reading
Cancer-Free -- Third Edition.
Cancer Is Easy To Overcome -- I'll Show You How


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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ray_White

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Overview of Cervical Cancer Stages and Their Treatment

By Steve Walter


Recommended Reading
Cancer-Free -- Third Edition.
Cancer Is Easy To Overcome -- I'll Show You How



Cervical cancer is a type of malignancy that occurs in women. Women at higher risk for cancer of the uterine cervix are those who begin sexual intercourse at an early stage, those who have multiple sex partners, history of multiple pregnancies, develop cervical dysplasia or sexual relations with high risk males. Studies suggest that during adolescence, cervical epithelial cells are particularly sensitive to carcinogenic change.
Cervical cancer is classified and treated according to four cervical cancer stages of differentiation. Stage one is characterized as growth limited only to the cervix. When growth extends beyond the cervix, it is already considered as stage two. It is classified as stage three once the growth has extended into the pelvic wall. Lastly, if the growth has extended to adjacent organs then it has already reached the fourth stage.
Patients with cancer of the cervix may present with symptomatic or asymptomatic disease. Symptoms indicative of early stages of cervical cancer are prolonged menstrual periods, watery vaginal discharge and slight intermenstrual vaginal bleeding after coitus, travel or exertion. These findings may be present for months before additional irregularities occur. As the lesion becomes more extensive, symptoms are more pronounced. Hemorrhage occurs with advanced infiltrative tumors.
The first symptoms produced by the tumor after menopause is usually alarming because they are unexpected. Consequently the patient usually promptly seeks attention. However, if the symptoms begin two to three years after menopause, the patient may think that menstruation has resumed and will delay seeking medical attention.
In later stages, a serosanguinous or yellowish vaginal discharge may be present. It is often foul-smelling due to the sloughing of epithelium and may be associated with profuse bleeding. Pain in the lumbosacral area is usually a late sign and occurs with lymph node involvement. Urinary and rectal symptoms may appear when advanced local disease has invaded the bladder and rectum.
Treatment of cervical cancer is determined by the clinical findings, stage of disease, overall condition of the patient, and whether she wishes to preserve the reproductive mechanism. The treatment of preinvasive lesions can consist of cryotherapy, electrocautery, laser therapy, or conization. For the first level of cervical cancer stages, carcinoma can be conservatively managed by cervical conization, vaginal radiation therapy, and laser treatment. Patients who are conservatively managed should be closely evaluated at least yearly for further appearance of cancer.
Either surgery or radiation therapy are used for stages 1 and 2. Radiation therapy may be used alone for stages 2 and 3. For stage 4, pelvic exenteration may be performed. In advanced tumors in stages 3 and 4, external radiation therapy may be beneficial. External, internal and interstitial radiation therapy may be used. Systemic chemotherapeutics or regional chemotherapeutics are also treatments for cervical cancer.
The earlier the stage at which cancer is diagnosed means a better the prognosis. Preinvasive cancer commonly is diagnosed in women 30 to 40 years of age. Most patients with invasive carcinoma are 40 to 50 years old. Thus, 5 to 10 years are required for the chance to penetrate the basement membrane and become invasive. After invasion, death usually occurs in 3 to 5 years in the untreated patient. That is why to prevent any complications, watch out for early signs of cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer stages are divided into four where it differentiates the growth and metastasis of cancer cells. The treatment of this condition is also based on the stage of cancer diagnosed on the patient. Find out more at http://cancerstages.org/blog/.


Recommended Reading
Cancer-Free -- Third Edition.
Cancer Is Easy To Overcome -- I'll Show You How


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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Walter

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Cervical Cancer - 3 Ways Detect it Early

By Max Cooper

Recommended Reading
Cancer-Free -- Third Edition.
Cancer Is Easy To Overcome -- I'll Show You How


In the previous years, women aged 60 and above were the ones most prone to cervical cancer. But with the 2009 report, an alarming 58% of these cases were women within the age range of 40 and 50 years old only. With such stats, it is therefore important to know the signs of cervical carcinoma so that its symptoms can be contained. Advanced cases of this type of medical condition can become invasive, which means that there is a very good chance that the cancer cells will afflict surround tissues and muscles as well.

So what are the most common signs of cervical cancer?

1. Abnormal vaginal bleeding. Abnormal bleeding or signs of unusual blood spotting is one of the more common signs of the pre-cancer stages of the cervix. It may come in various forms like: blood spotting between menstrual periods, bouts of heavy and light menstruation, vaginal bleeding after sex, blood spotting after the menopausal stage and even vaginal bleeding after douching. In some cases, the woman may experience unusual discharge between menstruation's.

2. Pain during sexual intercourse. Vaginal bleeding is often preceded by pain during sexual intercourse. This may be due to the increased sensitivity or inflammation of the tissues and muscles of the cervix. In advanced stages, pain in this area is an indication that the cancer cells have already spread out to the surrounding areas.

3. Pain during normal bodily functions. Two other signs of cervical cancer include pain during peeing and bowel movement. Pain brought about by UTI or urinary tract infection is another indication that the muscles of the reproductive system is on a hyper sensitive stage.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Cooper