Over the past decade, the number of patients diagnosed with cervical cancer has increased significantly. Many women, faced with this disease, regard it as a sentence, but is it really so? Is it possible to cope with the disease and, most importantly, prevent its occurrence?
General concept of the disease
Before talking about the symptoms and treatment of cervical cancer, you should understand the features and characteristics of the pathology.
Cervical cancer is a cancer in which malignant cells infect the tissues of this organ.
In terms of frequency of occurrence, this type of oncology is in 4th place among all cancers diagnosed in women. About 600,000 women worldwide receive this diagnosis each year. The largest group of patients belongs to the age category of 35-60 years.
Girls and young women under 25 rarely suffer from this disease. At the same time, doctors say that over the past decade, cervical cancer has noticeably “younger”. In other words, women aged 25-35 are increasingly appearing among patients. This trend is associated with environmental degradation and an accelerated pace of life.
The structure of the uterus
The uterus is a small muscular organ that is located in the lower part of the abdominal cavity. It is located between the rectum and the bladder. Numerous ligaments attached to the walls of the peritoneum help her maintain a constant position.
The size of the uterus is small - the height reaches 8 cm, the width is 4 cm, and the thickness is about 2 cm. There is a cavity inside the organ, in which a fertilized egg is attached to the inner side of the wall. This is the main function of the uterus - reliable attachment of the fetus and providing the best conditions for its development.
The whole body of the uterus consists of 3 parts:
- bottom - this is the uppermost part of the body, which is also considered the widest, here the uterus is connected to the fallopian tubes, passing into the ovaries;
- body - the middle part of the organ;
- cervix - the lower narrowest part, smoothly passing into the vagina.
The cervix consists of smooth muscles, which provides it with increased elasticity, compared with the tissues of other parts of the organ. This is especially important as the cervix prevents germs from entering the cervix and keeps the fetus from being born prematurely.
The length of the neck may vary depending on the individual structure of the organ, but does not exceed 3-4 cm. There is a channel in the center, which is calledcervical. Its task is to connect the uterine cavity with the vaginal cavity. Another protective barrier is the thick mucus that is constantly in the cervical canal. It blocks the entry of microbes and sperm into the uterus, but in the middle of the cycle, its consistency changes. At this time, the mucus becomes thinner, allowing sperm to enter the uterus to fertilize the egg.
Reason for development
The causes of the disease are still not known to medicine, however, numerous studies and statistics have revealed a number of factors that presumably affect the appearance of a malignant tumor of the cervix:
- various injuries;
- papillomavirus infection;
- cervical erosion, dysplasia (other diseases affecting cervical tissue);
- sexually transmitted infections (including herpes, chlamydia, HIV);
- many abortions (especially those at an early age);
- dramatic decline in immunity;
- constant change of sexual partners, unprotected sex;
- frequent stress, depression, hard work;
- radiation exposure, the effect of chemical toxins on a woman's body.
The risk of a disease increases in case of the influence of bad ecology, heredity and lack of certain vitamins.
Varieties of cancer
This disease varies according to morphological features. In the course of diagnostics, this feature is certainly revealed, since it is to some extentdegree affects the nature of the disease and requires a special approach in the treatment of cervical cancer.
- Adenocarcinoma. This form is characterized by damage to the glandular cells located in the tissues of the cervix.
- Squamous cell cancer. This form occurs much more often than the previous one. Squamous cell carcinoma develops from the cells of the squamous epithelium that covers the cervix and the inner walls of the vagina.
Clinical picture
Cervical cancer (like many other cancers) at the initial stage of development practically does not manifest itself. This becomes the main difficulty in diagnosis, because women begin to complain only at the moment when the disease is actively progressing. Late treatment greatly complicates the treatment of cervical cancer, since the maximum chance for recovery is given by therapy at the initial stage.
What symptoms should alert?
- Pain. At first, they may appear during or after sexual intercourse, and with the development of a tumor, pain in the lower abdomen becomes frequent, independent of sexual contacts and stress.
- Unpleasant smell from the vagina. It is quite often accompanied by profuse discharge (watery, mucous, or purulent).
- Bleeding. At first, bleeding may be very small. They appear after a cycle of menstruation, sexual contact, a gynecological examination by a doctor. Complaints of bleeding can also occur in menopausal women.
- Problems withdigestive system and stool. The uterus is located in close proximity to the intestines, so the tumor also affects the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. At the later stages of the development of oncology, women notice stool disorders (constipation is replaced by loose stools).
- Long period. It increases to 7 days or more.
- Weight loss. Lack of treatment for cervical cancer leads to aggravation of the condition. Sudden weight loss may be a warning sign.
- General condition. Women complain of poor he alth, fatigue. There is reduced performance, loss of appetite, apathy, earthy complexion. All this indicates pathological processes in the patient's body.
Stages and their characteristics
The development of the disease is usually divided into several stages. Each of them has its own characteristics, features of the course, symptoms and approach to treatment.
0 stage. Treatment of cervical cancer is most effective. This stage is the initial stage in which cancer cells are just beginning to appear in the tissues. Quite often, this condition is referred to as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. This manifestation refers to precancerous conditions.
I stage. The size of the tumor is 0.5-4 cm, cancer cells grow not only in width, but also deep into the tissues. Neighboring organs and tissues are not yet involved in the process. On a medical examination, the neoplasm can already be seen with the naked eye, but in general, women may not notice anyobvious signs and symptoms. Treatment of cervical cancer at this stage gives a good result.
II stage. The tumor extends not only to the neck, but also to the body of the organ. At the same time, pathological processes in the vagina, abdominal space and lymph nodes are not observed. Quite often at this time there are pains, bloody discharge, discomfort in the lower abdomen.
III stage. This stage includes cancer in which the tumor has already spread to the tissues of the peritoneum, vagina or lymph nodes. In this case, the size of the neoplasm can be both large and small. The main characteristic is the presence of near metastases. During this period, numerous characteristic symptoms appear. The treatment of stage 3 cervical cancer is quite long, but gives good results.
IV stage. The last stage of tumor development, which includes neoplasms with impressive sizes and numerous metastases. In addition to the nearest organs (bladder and intestines), the lymphatic system, liver, and lungs are involved in the process. For patients, this stage is the most difficult, as it is accompanied by constant severe pain, bleeding and other symptoms.
Diagnosis
Patients are prescribed several laboratory tests and hardware studies at once. With their help, the doctor receives a complete picture of the disease and can prescribe the most effective course of treatment.
- Initial reception. This diagnostic step is extremely important. During it, the gynecologist collects data on the patient's complaints, the presence of similar diseases in close relativesand characteristics of a woman's life. Such information will allow you to assess the risk group and general condition.
- Vaginal examination. Such an examination is carried out using special mirrors, which allows you to determine the condition of the walls of the vagina and the surface of the cervix. This is a fairly effective diagnostic method, allowing in 95% of cases to establish the presence of a cancerous tumor. Difficulties in detecting pathology arise when malignant cells are located in deep tissue layers.
- Gynecological examination two-handed. This diagnostic method consists in probing the uterus from two sides. With one hand, the doctor feels the uterus through the vagina, and with the other at the same time through the wall of the abdomen. In the presence of oncology, the uterus becomes painful, more rigid and elastic, almost immobile (poorly moves sideways).
- Cervical smear. Such a study is carried out under a microscope and reveals a change in the structure of cells. Of course, this does not indicate the presence of a malignant tumor, but it indicates a serious pathology, in connection with which the doctor prescribes further examination.
- Colposcopy - the study of the condition of the cervix using a colposcope device. It is a flexible tube with a chamber. The resulting image is enlarged and displayed on the computer monitor.
- Biopsy. This name hides the procedure for taking tissue samples from the cervix for further histological examination. Such a detailed diagnosis allows not only to identify the presence of a neoplasm, but also to characterize its nature (benign ormalignant cells).
- Palpation of the lymph nodes. This approach is effective in identifying nearby metastases.
- Ultrasound of organs located in the pelvic area. Such diagnostic measures are resorted to when data are needed on the spread of cervical cancer - the nearest metastases.
- Computed tomography. A study of the whole body of a woman will make it possible to judge the presence or complete absence of metastases in many other organs.
Surgical treatment
Despite the emergence of new modern methods of treatment for cervical cancer, surgery remains the most effective. The patient's treatment at the initial stage allows for a sparing operation (organ-sparing). During it, only part of the cervix is removed. This allows you to save the uterus and other reproductive organs, which makes it possible to become pregnant and give birth to a child in the future.
In cases where the malignant tumor has already spread to the vagina and other parts of the uterus, Wertheim's operation is performed. In this case, parametric fiber, uterus, lymph nodes, appendages and the upper part of the vagina are subject to removal. Most often, other treatment options are prescribed after cervical cancer treatment in this way.
Radiotherapy
Another effective way to fight the disease is radiation therapy (or, as it is often called, radiotherapy). The main point is that a woman's body is affectedX-rays, which leads to the destruction of the structure of malignant cells. As a result, pathological cells lose their ability to grow and divide.
Radiotherapy according to the method of exposure is divided into:
- external;
- intracavitary.
With external irradiation, exposure occurs externally, that is, through the abdominal wall. This approach has a significant drawback - the impact on a large area of he althy tissues, which leads to severe side effects.
In intracavitary therapy, a special device is inserted into the vagina and acts directly on the malignant tumor. This allows you to most accurately adjust the direction of radiation, increase the effectiveness of the procedure and reduce the number of side effects.
Use of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a treatment with strong drugs that are delivered to the human body intravenously (that is, through drips). Such treatment takes place in courses.
Chemotherapy is prescribed mainly in the late stages of oncological processes, when the tumor has already given near and distant metastases. With such signs, treatment for cervical cancer gives a high chance of remission. Under the influence of drugs, malignant cells lose their ability to grow and are destroyed.
This treatment option is quite effective, but it is difficult for patients to tolerate and has numerous side effects.
Immunotherapy for Cancerdiseases
Immunotherapy is often included in the complex treatment of cervical cancer. During it, women are prescribed the strongest drugs that have an antiviral effect. This is necessary for the immune support of the body, which spends all its strength on fighting the disease.
Doctors note: the greatest efficiency can be achieved in the early stages of the disease. At the same time, the selection of medicines and their dosage is carried out only by a doctor.
Treatment of cervical cancer with folk remedies
There are numerous recipes of traditional medicine aimed at combating cancer. At the same time, doctors strongly do not recommend self-medication.
Important! Herbal medicine, bee products and other traditional medicines cannot be used as the main method of treatment for any cancerous tumor. They are used in combination with traditional medicine methods and only help to reduce the intensity of symptoms.
In other words, alternative treatment of cervical cancer only helps to reduce pain, inflammation in the body, increase immunity and increase appetite. Before using this or that approach in the fight against oncology, you should definitely get recommendations from your doctor.
Cervical Cancer Treatment: Predictions
Prognosis largely depends on several factors, including: the stage of the disease, the presence or absence of metastases, the age of the woman and her general condition.
If treatment starts at Istage of oncology, the prognosis is quite favorable. Survival is over 5 years in 80% of patients.
II stage has a less favorable outcome. About 45-50% survive within 5 years.
III stage is characterized by the presence of metastases and an extensive tumor process. Survival rate - 30%.
At stage IV, oncology is extremely difficult to treat. Doctors use supportive care. The survival rate at this stage is less than 10%.
In other words, the effectiveness of treatment and the prognosis of doctors directly depend on the time of treatment. Thus, the treatment of stage 1 cervical cancer will require less time and effort, while giving a good result. It is for this reason that you should not miss the next gynecological examination - this is how every woman can increase her chances for a he althy and fulfilling life.
