Review: Introduction to Cervical Cancer

Here is what we have learned from Introduction to Cervical Cancer:

• Cervical cancer occurs when normal cells in the cervix change into cancer cells.
• Each year, about 15,000 women in the United States learn that they have cancer of the cervix.
• Abnormal changes in cells on the cervix are the first step in a series of slow changes that can lead to cancer years later.
• Squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) is a general term for the abnormal growth of squamous cells on the surface of the cervix.
• SIL can be divided into two categories:
  • Low-grade SIL: early changes in the size, shape, and number of cells that form the surface of the cervix.
  • High-grade SIL: there are a large number of precancerous cells;they look very different from normal cells.
• Risk factors for cervical cancer, among others, include:
  • Relationship to sexual intercourse
  • Venereal diseases
  • Race—incidence higher in blacks and Hispanics
  • Low socioeconomic status
  • Poor genital hygiene
  • Cigarette smoking
  • Peak incidence over 40 years
• Signs and symptoms include:
  • Post-coital or unexplained vaginal spotting or bleeding
  • Persistent vaginal discharge
  • Pelvic pain
• Adenocarcinomas of the cervix have a worse prognosis than squamous cell cancers. Like all cancers, cancer of the cervix is much more likely to be cured if it is detected early and treated immediately.