Cancer (carcinoma) of the cervix is newly formed tumor tissue, with malignant characteristics and invasive spread into the surrounding structures, blood and lymph.
Cervical cancer is a malignant (malignant) epithelial tumor localized on the part of the uterus or in the cervical canal. It most often occurs between the ages of 35 and 49.
The biggest risk factor for cervical cancer is infection caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 100 types of HPV, nine of which have a high potential to cause changes in the cervix that can develop into cervical cancer.
The HPV virus types with the highest oncogenic potential are HPV 16 and 18.
Most women infected with the HPV virus pass without any consequences. They recover in a period of 6 to 24 months, without even knowing that they had an infection.
However, when the immune system fails to get rid of the HPV virus, the risk for
the incidence of cervical cancer is increasing.
Cervical cancer comes without symptoms. There is no pain, no itching, no discomfort, and the cells can mutate.
Fortunately, precancerous changes on the cervix grow very slowly into cervical cancer.
That is why it is of the utmost importance to regularly perform cervical screening, i.e. Pap test (PA test) and colposcopy. The goal of the Pap test (PA test) is to find changes on the cervix at a stage where they can be easily removed. Once the cancer has already developed, the treatment becomes more difficult and the chances of success are lower.
Cervical cancer is divided into preinvasive stage (carcinoma in situ, stage zero) and invasive stage.
The pre-invasive stage of cervical cancer means that the cancer, i.e. cancer, limited to the epithelium, does not penetrate the basement membrane, i.e. no depth penetration. It can be several years in that stage. This stage usually has no symptoms.
The invasive stage of cervical cancer affects the deeper layers and spreads into the surrounding structures, lymph and blood.
Invasive se deli na vegetativni, ulcerozni i infiltrativni oblik.
According to the degree of development, it is divided into four stages depending on the involvement of the surrounding structures, lymph and other organs.
SYMPTOMS
Cervical cancer usually has no symptoms, but sometimes they do:
- Bleeding after sexual intercourse
- Bloody discharge
- Irregular menstruation
- Pain, which is a late symptom
DIAGNOSTIC
- Papanikolaou test (PA test)
- Colposcopy
- Biopsy
- Exploratory curettage and conization with histopathological findings
Additional diagnostics:
- Gynecological ultrasound
- Ultrasound (echo) of the abdomen
- Scan (CT)
- magnetic resonance (NMR)
- Colonoscopy
- Cystoscopy
- X-ray (X-ray) of lungs and bones
- Laboratory additional analyses, etc
TREATMENT
- Operation (surgical treatment)
- Air therapy
Which doctors do you need?
- Gynecologist
- Oncologist
- Radiologist