Causes and Risk factors of Cervical Cancer

• Early sexual activity. Having sex at an early age increases your risk of HPV.
• A weakened immune system. You are more likely to develop cervical cancer if your immune system is weak and you have HPV.
• Multiple sexual partners. The greater your number of sexual partners — and/or the greater your partner's number of sexual partners — the greater your chances of contracting HPV.
• If a family member has had cervical cancer (if cervical cancer runs in the family)
• Smoking. Smoking is associated with squamous (a layer of epithelium that consists of very thin flattened cells) cell cervical cancer.
• Having other STIs — such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV/AIDS — increases your risk of HPV.

Early onset symptoms

In the early stages, one might not experience any symptoms at all hence the need for women to go for annual pap smear and pelvic tests. Note that pap smear is a preventive test that indicates any change in the cells of the cervix. These are the initial symptoms that can be identified in a woman who has cervical cancer.

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding (between periods, after sex, after menopause). The periods may be longer and heavier than usual.
• Vaginal discharge that has odor.
• Pelvic pain.
• Pain during intercourse.

Late stage symptoms

These symptoms are likely to appear if cervical cancer spreads to the neighboring tissues;

• Urinary problems; blood in urine, pain or difficulty when urinating
• Mild backache or swelling
• Loss of weight, appetite and fatigue
• Gastrointestinal involvement; nausea, vomiting, constipation and a swollen abdomen
• Difficulty defecating or diarrhea with blood stains. Sometimes bleeding continues after bowel movement.

Note that like any other cancer, cervical cancer patients may experience general wear and tear and degradation. As the disease progresses, one further loses more weight and becomes easily fatigued. Cancerous, pathologies are known as ’consumer diseases‘. This means that they use many elements of your body to continue growing and damaging. Note that one does not necessarily experience all the symptoms listed above.

Prevention and treatment of cervical cancer

• Primary Prevention; Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine prevents most cervical cancer cases. Adolescent and young girls are encouraged to get the vaccine to reduce their chances of contracting cervical cancer.
• Practice safer sex. Reduce your risk of cervical cancer by taking measures to prevent STIs, such as using a condom correctly and consistently every time you have sex and limiting the number of sexual partners you have.
• Avoid smoking. If you don't smoke, don't start. If you do smoke, talk to your doctor about strategies to help you quit.
• Engage in a lifestyle that enhances your immunity system
• Secondary prevention; screening for, and treating precancerous lesions prevents most cervical cancer cases.
• A full range of treatment options. The range of treatments offered to those with cervical cancer includes radiation therapy, brachytherapy, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, immunotherapy and many types of surgical procedures, such as simple hysterectomy, radical hysterectomy, robotic hysterectomy, and fertility-sparing procedures.

Cervical cancer if diagnosed early is one of the many cancers that has the most successful recovery stories compared to other types of cancers as long as there is early detection and it is managed effectively. Cancers diagnosed in late stages can also be controlled with the right treatment and palliative care. Act now, do not wait until it is too late.