Cervical cancer treatments you should know about

Cervical cancer is caused by the abnormal and uncontrolled growth and division of cells in the lower narrow end of the uterus (“womb”) that links further to the vagina. The resulting cellular buildup consumes food nutrients and oxygen, thus depriving other healthy cells of the nutrition they need to grow.

Such abnormal cells often group together to form lumps of tissue (tumor), some of which could be cancerous, though not all. Cancerous cells are capable of invading adjacent tissues and other parts of the body.

A little more about cancer of the cervix

When cells on the surface of the cervix turn precancerous, that might, though not necessarily, signal the start of cervical cancer. A precancerous cell is an abnormal cell, but beyond that it lacks any ability to move and spread within a tissue or to a neighboring tissue. In fact, most precancerous cells do not turn cancerous and people with precancerous cells hardly ever experience any symptoms.

Typically, precancerous cells show up in a pap smear test, which is quick and painless, to detect risk factors for cervical cancer. Up to 90 % of cervical cancers start in the outer part of the cervix that opens into the vagina. The rest mostly develop in the cells of the glands covering the opening of the cervix that leads into the uterus.

HPV 16 and 18, two high-risk types of viruses from the human papillomavirus (HPV) group, are responsible for 82% of cervical cancers in India and 70% of all cervical cancer cases worldwide. Half of all cervical cases around the world are attributed to HPV 16.

HPVs spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact during intercourse. Notably, 90% of HPV infections are harmless and the body’s immune system is able to rid the infection within a couple of years. However, a minority of HPVs caused by high-risk virus types — not limited to HPV 16 and 18, tend to last longer and potentially cause cervical cancer in women. Besides, high-risk HPVs lead to cancers in the rear of the throat as well as less common cancers such as vaginal and vulvar cancers in women, penile cancers in men, and anal cancers in both sexes.

Development of Cervical cancerous cells takes at least five years in women with impaired immune systems. As for women with healthy immune responses, it might even take up to two decades.

Cervical cancer by the numbers

Worldwide, cervical cancer is the fourth most common among women. Annually, there are more than 600,000 new cases of cervical cancer and nearly 350,000 fatalities. Nine out of 10 new cases as well as fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries. As in early December 2022, India had the highest number of cervical cancer cases (21%) in Asia, followed by China (18%). By contrast, the share of the US was a little more than 2%. The two Asian giants together accounted for 40% (India — 23%; China — 17%) of the total lives lost to cervical cancer. The corresponding figure for the US was 1.5%.

Who’s most at risk

Women infected with HIV have a weakened immune system and are, therefore, considered six times more at risk of developing cervical cancer. Sex without barrier contraception with someone with high-risk HPV places a person at increased risk of cervical cancer. Pregnancies before the age of 20, multiple sexual partners, limited access to pap smear screenings are some of the risk factors for this cancer. Women with genital herpes, a common Sexually Transmitted Disease (characterized by pain, itching and sores in the vagina, vulva, cervix, anus, buttocks, and upper thighs) were twice as likely to get cervical cancer compared to other women.

Studies also suggest women with chlamydia, a bacterial invasion that affects the reproductive system and other organs, are 150% more likely to develop cervical cancer than women without this sexually transmitted disease. While chlamydia trachomatis, the causative bacteria, is itself not cancer-causing, in conjunction with the HPV, the pathogen is believed to contribute to the growth and spread of cervical cancer. By weakening the immune system, smoking also contributes to elevated cervical cancer risk.

Warning signs of cervical cancer

In its early stage, cervical cancer doesn’t have any symptoms to speak of. See a doctor in case of the following symptoms:

• Bleeding outside of the normal menstrual cycle
• Longer than usual vaginal bleeding during sex
• Bleeding in between periods
• Post-menstrual bleeding and
• Abnormal vaginal discharge (bright yellow, thick white, or green discharge that is watery or frothy with or without a foul odor).

How to decrease chances of getting cervical cancer

Cervical cancer can be prevented by using either male or female condoms during sex, each time and every time, to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections. The Papanicolaou test (named after George Papanicolaou who devised it in the early 1940s) or pap test or pap smear test in which cells are gently scraped from the cervical surface and examined for the presence of cancers and precancers. A Pap test isn’t painful, though there could be mild discomfort. It is recommended that women start pap testing regularly after the age of 21. The HPV has a property of remaining dormant within human cells for a couple of years or even decades before becoming active. This in mind, doctors encourage women to repeat pap testing once every three years until they turn 60.

HPV vaccines can help the body fight off most cases of cervical cancer. So, the CDC (US) recommends HPV jabs for girls and boys between ages 11 and 12. HPV vaccines are now available: Centre for Cancer Care at PD Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Mumbai — for all aged 13 through 26. Individuals in the 26–45 demographic who haven’t received the jabs for any reason can avail of a “catch up vaccination.”

Cure and care

At PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Khar, our team of specialized doctors, oncology nurses, and counselors provide treatment plans for cervical cancer tailored to the specific needs of each patient. Our treatment for cervical cancer takes multiple factors into consideration such as the cancer type (exocervical, endocervical, mixed) and the stage of cervical cancer (i.e., whether it’s confined to the cervix or has spread outside to adjacent tissues and organs and on to the lungs, liver, and bone). Depending on what’s best for the patient, the treatment might include surgery (e.g., Wertheim’s hysterectomy) as well as radiation with or without chemotherapy.

At PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Khar, our team of specialized doctors, oncology nurses, and counselors provide treatment plans for cervical cancer tailored to the specific needs of each patient. Our treatment for cervical cancer takes multiple factors into consideration such as the cancer type (exocervical, endocervical, mixed) and the stage of cervical cancer (i.e., whether it’s confined to the cervix or has spread outside to adjacent tissues and organs and on to the lungs, liver, and bone). Depending on what’s best for the patient, the treatment might include surgery (e.g., Wertheim’s hysterectomy) as well as radiation with or without chemotherapy.

Reach out to our experts of the right care and treatment. (Dial — 022–4510 8989 / 6154 8989)