Cure for Cervical Cancer

The cervix is an organ that connects the vagina and the uterus. Cervical cancer occurs when malignant cancer cells develop in the lining of the cervix. According to healthsquare.com, about 13,500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in America. Cervical cancer has been strongly linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV) and through several hereditary factors. If the cancer is found in its early stages, it can be treated and cured with surgery or radiotherapy. Plus, there are several treatment options that can be provided for women diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Detection

• Cervical cancer does not usually have any symptoms, so the best way to know if you have it is through early detection. Women should receive a pap smear every year so changes in the cells of the cervix can be detected. However, there may be some unusual signs that could point to cervical cancer, such as pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, vaginal bleeding and unusual vaginal discharge.

  Certain factors can increase the risk of getting cervical cancer.These risk factors include having many sexual partners, smoking, taking oral contraceptives, and having a weakened immune system.

Treatments

• The main types of treatments for cervical cancer are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Surgical treatment for cervical cancer depends where the cancer is.

  A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that involves taking out the entire uterus. In other cases, surgeons may have to take out the colon, bladder, rectum, ovaries, fallopian tubes or nearby lymph nodes.

  Radiation therapy involves using radiation and X-rays to kill the cancer. Chemotherapy is another form of treatment and involves using a drug that kills cancer cells or stops them from dividing. Treatment for cervical cancer depends upon where the cancer is located and how advanced the cancer is, the age of the patient and the patient's overall health. Cervical cancer is almost 100 percent curable when it is found early and treated immediately, however the treatments do not work the same for everyone. So, it is important to keep seeing your doctor for follow-up visits.

Prevention

• The Gardasil vaccine was approved the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2006 to guard against certain HPV types. The vaccine is used as a preventive measure on females before they become sexually active, and has been shown to be up to 98 percent effective in preventing HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18.