1: Human papillomavirus (HPV)
2: Sexual history
Various other risk factors have also been identified.
1: The genital tract
2: The external genitals
3: The area around the anus
HPV has nothing to do with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. There are 46 genetic types of HPV, but not all are dangerous. Only certain types of HPV, which can be transmitted from one person to another during sexual contact, increase the risk of cell dysplasia (abnormal cell growth) and/or progression to cervical cancer.
The HPV types that produce genital warts (lesions that are raised and bumpy, or flat and almost impossible to see) are different from those that cause cervical cancer. However, women who have a history of genital warts have almost twice the risk of an abnormal PAP Smear as other women.
Sexual History:
A woman has a higher-than-average risk of developing cervical if she:
1: Has had multiple sexual partners
2: Began having sexual relations before the age of 18
3: Has a partner who has had sexual contact with a woman with cervical cancer
It is probable that other factors contribute to cervical cancer, such as:
Poverty: Women who are poor may not have access to medical services that detect and treat precancerous cervical conditions. When such women develop cervical cancer, the disease usually remains undiagnosed and untreated until it has spread to other parts of the body. Women who are poor are often undernourished, and poor nutrition can also increase cervical cancer risk.
Pap Test History: Not having regular Pap tests increases the chance of unrecognized cervical cancer. Between 60% and 80% of women with newly diagnosed cervical cancer have not had a Pap test in at least five years.
Tobacco Use: Women who smoke are about twice as likely to develop cervical cancer as women who do not. The more a woman smokes - and the longer she has been smoking - the greater the risk.
Eating Habits: A diet that doesn't include ample amounts of fruits and vegetables can increase a woman's risk of developing cervical cancer.
Weakened Immune System: A woman whose immune system is weakened has a higher-than-average risk of developing cervical lesions that can become cancerous. This includes women who are HIV-positive (infected with the virus that causes AIDS). It also includes women who have received organ transplants and must take drugs to suppress the immune system so that the body won't reject the new organ.
Diethylstilberstrol (DES): A rare type of cervical cancer has been diagnosed in a small number of women whose mothers took diethylstilbestrol (DES), a medicine that was once used to prevent miscarriage.
Douching: Because douching may destroy natural antiviral agents normally present in the vagina, women who douche every week are more apt to develop cervical cancer than women who do not. Douching is the rinsing of the vagina by squirting water or other solutions containing vinegar, baking soda or commercial douching solutions into it.Because routine douching changes the delicate chemical balance in the vagina, it can make a woman more susceptible to bacterial infections or introduce new bacteria into the vagina and cervix. It also can spread existing vaginal infections to the fallopian tubes. Women who douche have a 73 percent higher risk of pelvic inflammatory disease.
Chemical Exposure: Women who work on farms or in the manufacturing industry may be exposed to chemicals that can increase their risk of cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is very common in women who are positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Cervical cancer is sometimes the disease that first suggests a diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV can compound the effects of Human papillomavirus (HPV), causing cervical changes to progress more rapidly into cervical cancer than they otherwise might.
Symptoms of cervical cancer don't usually appear until the abnormal cells invade nearby tissue.
Symptoms can include:
1: Abnormal bleeding
2: Heavier, long-lasting periods
3: Unusual vaginal discharge
4: Pelvic pain
Abnormal bleeding may occur:
1: Between menstrual periods
2: After menopause
3: After intercourse
4: After a pelvic examination
These symptoms are not always a sign of cervical cancer. They can be caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or other conditions. Your doctor can determine the cause of these symptoms.
Can Cervical Cancer be Prevented?
Early-stage cervical cancer and precancerous cervical conditions are almost 100% curable. The most common forms of cervical cancer begin with changes in cervical cells. If these changes are detected early enough, treatment can be started immediately to prevent cervical cancer from developing. The best way to detect early cervical cancer and precancerous conditions of the cervix is to have a Gynecologic Examination and Pap Test.
The American Cancer Society recommends that a woman have her first annual Pap test when she becomes sexually active or reaches the age of 18.
Because cervical cancer usually progresses slowly, some physicians feel that a woman doesn't need to have a Pap test every year if she:
1: Is 65 years of age or older
2: Has had normal Pap tests for three years in a row
Many experts recommend a Pap test every three years for women who have had a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) for reasons unrelated to cervical disease.
Women who have cervical cancer risk factors and who don't have regular gynecologic examinations are increasingly likely to:
1: Develop cervical carcinoma in situ between the ages of 30 and 40
2: Develop invasive cervical cancer between the ages of 40 and 50
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