March 11th, 2010 by ashish
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Studies have found a number of factors that may increase the risk of cervical cancer.
- HPV infection: HPV is a group of viruses that can infect the cervix. An HPV infection that doesn’t go away can cause cervical cancer in some women. HPV is the cause of nearly all cervical cancers. A vaccine for females ages 9 to 26 protects against two types of HPV infection that cause cervical cancer.
- Smoking: Among women who are infected with HPV, smoking cigarettes slightly increases the risk of cervical cancer.
- Weakened immune system.
- Sexual history: Women who have had many sexual partners have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer or vice versa.
- Irregular screening tests: Women who have not regularly had a Pap test (smear) are at increased risk of cervical cancer. In particular, many women over age 60 have not had regular Pap tests and are at increased risk.
Symptoms of Cervical Cancer
Early cervix cancer generally produces no signs or symptoms. But, as the cancer grows, symptoms may include :
- Abnormal bleeding.
- Unusual heavy discharge : It may be foul smelling, watery, thick, or contain mucus. It varies from woman to woman.
- Bleeding after sexual intercourse, douching, or a pelvic exam.
- Menstrual periods that last longer and are heavier than before.
- Pelvic pain and pain during sex.
- Pain during urination.
- Bleeding between regular menstrual periods.
March 10th, 2010 by ashish
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The cervix is part of a woman’s reproductive system. The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus (womb). The cervix connects the uterus to the vagina. The cervix makes mucus. During pregnancy, the cervix is tightly closed to help keep the baby inside the uterus. During childbirth, the cervix opens to allow the baby to pass through the vagina.
Cervical cancer forms in the interior lining of the cervix, the junction of the vagina and uterus. Most cervical cancers begin in the cells lining the cervix. These cells do not suddenly change into cancer. Cervical cancer is almost always caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The virus spreads through sexual contact. Most women’s bodies are able to fight HPV infection. But sometimes the virus leads to cancer.
The development of cervical cancer is typically slow, and occurs over a period of years.Cervical cancer is most often diagnosed in middle-aged women, with half of those diagnosed between the ages of 35 and 55.
Types of Cervical Cancer
There are two types of cervical cancer :
- Squamous cell carcinoma : These cancers are from the squamous cells that cover the surface of the exocervix. Under the microscope, this type of cancer is made up of cells that are like squamous cells. Squamous cell carcinomas most often begin where the exocervix joins the endocervix.
- Adenocarcinoma : This develops mucus-producing glandular cells of the endocervix, the part of the cervix next to the body.
March 9th, 2010 by ashish
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Mammography is a specific type of imaging that uses a low-dose x-ray system to examine breasts. A mammography exam, called a mammogram, is used to aid in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women.
Benefits of Mammography :
- Imaging of the breast improves a physician’s ability to detect small tumors. When cancers are small, the woman has more treatment options and a cure is more likely.
- The use of screening mammography increases the detection of small abnormal tissue growths confined to the milk ducts in the breast, called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). These early tumors cannot harm patients if they are removed at this stage and mammography is the only proven method to reliably detect these tumors. It is also useful for detecting all types of breast cancer, including invasive ductal and invasive lobular cancer.
- No radiation remains in a patient’s body after an x-ray examination.
- X-rays usually have no side effects in the diagnostic range.
Risks Involved in Mammography
- There is always a slight chance of cancer from excessive exposure to radiation. However, the benefit of an accurate diagnosis far outweighs the risk.
- The effective radiation dose from a mammogram is about 0.7 mSv, which is about the same as the average person receives from background radiation in three months. Federal mammography guidelines require that each unit be checked by a medical physicist every year to ensure that the unit operates correctly. See the Safety page for more information about radiation dose.
- False Positive Mammograms. Five percent to 15 percent of screening mammograms require more testing such as additional mammograms or ultrasound. Most of these tests turn out to be normal. If there is an abnormal finding, a follow-up or biopsy may have to be performed. Most of the biopsies confirm that no cancer was present. It is estimated that a woman who has yearly mammograms between ages 40 and 49 has about a 30 percent chance of having a false-positive mammogram at some point in that decade and about a 7 percent to 8 percent chance of having a breast biopsy within the 10-year period.
- Women should always inform their physician or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. See the Safety page for more information about pregnancy and x-rays.
