Cervical Cancer - Things you should watch out for!

Cervical Cancer - Things you should watch out for!
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Cervical Cancer - Things you should watch out for!, Cervical cancer is one of the deadliest disease that is currently inflicting many woman across the globe.

Cervical cancer is one of the deadliest disease that is currently inflicting many woman across the globe. This form of cancer is fast spreading across the women in urban India. The health experts report that most of these women were completely unaware of the signs and symptoms, did not undergo the regular tests and ignored the red alerts that were out of the ordinary. Cervical cancer can happen to anyone - single women are no exception. It is very important now to understand what the cervical cancer is all about, the symptoms and the available treatments at hand.

What is cervical cancer
Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells on the cervix region grow out of control. The abnormal cells are caused due to the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) that triggers the cancerous cells to rapidly multiply. Not all types of HPV virus cause cancer. Some just lead to a temporary infection that results in geital warts. However, one has to watch out for the early signs and symptoms so that the condition can be detected at the earlier stage and cured. Most times, the cancer is not detected till it has reached the advanced stages, where treatment gets more difficult.
Smoking is also said to cause cervical cancer in women. Other risk factors include existence of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
Types of cervical cancers
There are two types of cancers that can happen - squamous cell carcinomas, that grows in the flattened epithelial cells of cervix and Adenocarcinoma, that grows on the glandular cells. Adinocarcinoma is the most common type of cervical cancer.

Importance of Pap Smear Test
The health experts now strongly recommend pap smear tests for women to check on the HPV virus. The Pap smear effectively identifies any precancerous changes in the cervical cells at earlier stages itself.
Signs and Symptoms
Cervical cancer can occur in women of all age groups. It is essential to pay attention to the warning signs that may seem insignificant.
Abnormal bleeding from the Vagina (between menstrual cycles, after sex and after menopause)
Constant pain in lower belly or pelvis that does not go away
Pain experienced during intercourse
Abnormal and foul smelling vaginal discharge
Bleeding after intercourse
Loss of appetite
Fatigue
Weight loss
Back pain
Leg pain
Leakage of urine or feces from vagina
Treatment
The earlier the cancer is detected, the better. The doctors usually estimate the stages of the cancer with a biopsy or a pap smear. The following treatments are done based on the stage and extremity
Hysterectomy - Surgery that is done to remove the pelvic lymph nodes. This may or may not involve the removal of ovaries and Fallopian tubes.
Chemotherapy

Radiation Therapy
More deaths are reported every year due to cervical cancer. The statistics are more for this cancer than other forms of cancers such as breast or ovarian. Most times women fail to understand the importance of even the slightest change in the way their vagina functions. Failure to keep a check on the red flags and discussing the same with the doctors aggravates the condition in no time. Hospitals in India now stress on the seriousness of this cancer and promote active tests to detect the cancer at early stages.
The health care experts all over suggest that women should report any kind of warning signs at the earliest treatment that will not only prove to be effective but will also save lives.
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