Cervical cancer develops when cancerous cells grow and divide in the cervix, the canal that connects the vagina to the uterus. cervical cancer occurs when healthy cells become abnormal (or cancerous) and start to multiply and divide. Human papillomavirus (HPV) also plays a vital role in cervical cancer development. This is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) often triggers cervical cancer when the HPV virus enters the female body, and the immune system is unable to eradicate it. If HPV remains in the body, it may convert cells within the body into cancer causing cells.

You can protect yourself against HPV and cervical cancer by getting the HPV vaccine, and also with regular cervical cancer screenings (i.e., pap smear). If you suspect an issue within your reproductive organs and tissues, your doctor may perform one of the following examinations:

1. Pap test

A Pap test is done in your doctor’s office to examine the cervix for abnormal cell growth.

2. Colposcope

If your pap test reveals abnormal cells, your doctor may perform a pelvic exam known as a colposcopy in which a speculum is placed in the vagina to help the doctor examine the cervix.

3. Punch biopsy

Your doctor may also take a sample of the cervical cells for further tests if he or she suspects cancer. A punch biopsy and an endocervical curettage are procedures used for extracting the cervical cells from the body.

If cervical cancer is found, your doctor will next determine what stage the cancer is in order to determine the treatment. Cervical cancer staging is as follows:

• Stage 1 where the cancer is still in the cervix only.
• In Stage 2, the cancer cells are present in the cervix, but also are spread to the vagina part, the upper part of the vagina.
• In Stage 3, in this stage the cancer starts to move to the lower part of the vagina.
• In stage 4, the cancer will start spreading to other parts of the body like the rectum or the bladder, etc.

Usually, the treatment options for cervical cancer will depend on the stage of cervical cancer and the other health issues that the patient is facing (i.e., age, other health issues). Treatment options available for cervical cancer are typically one or a combination of the following:

1. Surgery

Surgery is one of the most common cervical cancer treatment options available for the patient. During this procedure, a portion of cancerous tissues or the entire uterus may be removed.

2. Radiation

Radiotherapy, or radiation aims high powered rays at the cancerous cells in the uterus in order to destroy them.

3. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy, or chemo, is a drugs cancer treatment injected into the patient to kill or shrink cancer cells prior to surgery.

4. Future prevention of cervical cancer

Female cancers, like cervical cancer, are very common, which is why following treatment it is very important to take steps to prevent cancer from recurring. To do this:

• Get the HPV vaccine, if you are a female between the ages of 9 to 26 years old.
• Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke.
• Practice safe sex.

Get regular PAP tests to help detect cervical cancer at the early stage.