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Cervical Cancer: Screen, Detect, Prevent
If you could go back and prevent an illness or ailment before it became a much bigger problem, you would, right? While we can’t go back in time, all of us are armed with the power of knowledge that gives us the foresight to detect early signs of trouble.
For women, this means the power to spot and prevent cervical cancer, a disease that will affect an estimated 14,480 women in 2021, according to the American Cancer Society. Thankfully, you don’t have to be one of them if you simply educate yourself on the different kinds of cervical cancer and the one simple thing you can do to prevent them.
What causes cervical cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, most cervical cancers begin in what’s called “the transformation zone,” the area where the endocervix — the opening that leads to the uterus or womb — joins with the exocervix, the portion of the cervix that is visible to doctors during an examination. Normal cells in this area — glandular cells in the endocervix and squamous cells in the exocervix — may at times develop abnormalities called “pre-cancers.”
While not necessarily cancerous, pre-cancers can develop into bigger problems depending on the seriousness of the abnormality and are graded on a scale of 1-3 depending on the amount of abnormal tissue detected. CIN1, also known as mild dysplasia or low-grade SIL, is considered the least serious pre-cancer — in this stage, doctors may see very few abnormalities in the tissue. CIN2 and CIN3, also known as moderate to severe dysplasia or high-grade SIL, presents more abnormalities — high-grade SIL is considered the most severe pre-cancer.
Should the pre-cancer advance to a more serious stage, it can take on some type of cervical cancer based on where the cells originated. These different types include:
- Squamous cell carcinoma: This originates from the exocervix, where squamous cells are located exclusively. This often begins in the transformation zone.
- Adenocarcinoma: This forms from abnormal glandular cells and develop from the mucus-producing glands of the endocervix.
- Adenosquamous carcinomas and mixed carcinomas: These cancers feature characteristics of both squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas.
- In addition, melanoma, sarcoma, and lymphoma — which usually occur in other parts of the body — can sometimes occur in the cervix.
Although pre-cancers don’t always turn into cancer — for some women, they may go away without treatment — treating them can prevent almost all cervical cancers. So, spotting the warning signs early on is critical.
How to prevent cervical cancers
One of the most effective prevention methods is early detection. By scheduling regular gynecological exams and screenings, your doctor can spot abnormalities before they turn cancerous and begin treatment immediately. Pap tests — also known as Pap smears — and HPV tests are both effective methods to detect pre-cancers, cancers, and HPV.
Women can also minimize their risk of cervical cancer by receiving an HPV vaccine, which can help prevent pre-cancers and cancers by protecting against HPV types that are linked these diseases. Because the vaccine does not protect against existing infections, it should be administered as early as possible, generally between the ages of 9-12. Children and young adults ages 13-26 should receive it as soon as possible, but people over the age of 26 are not recommended to get the vaccine.
Limit your exposure to HPV by limiting your number of sexual partners and practicing safe sex are other ways to prevent pre-cancers or cervical cancer. Avoiding or quitting smoking can also help.
With healthy lifestyle choices and regular screenings, your doctors can prevent pre-cancers or detect them before they become much worse. Avoid a cervical cancer diagnosis by scheduling your annual checkup today.