Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is cancer arising in the cervix or in the mouth / neck of the womb. Cervical cancer is a type of cancer most of the world's number three. The number of people with cervical cancer in Indonesia is also quite large and has recently increased. Every day found 40-45 new cases by the number of deaths reaching 20-25 people or it can be said every hour an Indonesian woman died from cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is referred to as the "silent killer" because it is difficult to detect cancer development. The course of cancer-causing virus infection to the onset of symptoms occurs gradually, which is about 10-20 years. First, some cells changed from normal to precancerous cells which do not cause symptoms and eventually become a cancer cell will cause symptoms. This process is often not realized. Laila Nuranna doctor, SpOG (K), Chief of Obstetrics Gynecology Oncology Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, said that most cases of cervical cancer are detected have an advanced stage that it is difficult to treat.

Cervical cancer often occurs in middle-aged women. The majority of cases are found to occur in women younger than 50 years. Many women do not know that with the increasing age, are increasing their risk for cervical cancer. This is why it is important for women who have aged to undergo a Pap smear test can detect pre-cancerous cells on a regular basis.

The cause of cervical cancer is infection of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) or human papilloma virus. Approximately 70% of cases of cervical cancer is caused by infection with HPV 16 and 18. Cervical cancer can occur if the HPV infection does not heal for a long time. Moreover, the immune system or immune system is low, the infection raged, and cause cancer cells. The virus can be spread through touch: for example, there is the HPV virus in your hand and touches your genital area, then you can be infected cervical region. Or it could be from the toilet in a public restroom that has been contaminated with the virus.

In addition, there are a number of risk factors or causes of cervical cancer:
• Women aged over 40 years are more susceptible to cervical cancer.
The older the higher the risk.
• Genetic factors play a role not in cervical cancer.
But this does not mean that if your family is free of cervical cancer then you will not be affected! You should still be careful and take precautions.
• Sexual intercourse at a young age too, changing sexual partners, or sex with a man who frequently change partners. HPV virus can be transmitted through sexual contact. If a man having sex with a woman suffering from cervical cancer, and men having sex with you, the HPV virus can be contagious and infect you.
• Having too many children (more than 5 children). By the time you give birth naturally, the fetus will pass through the cervix and cause trauma to the cervix, which can trigger active cancer cells. The more often the fetus through the cervix, the more frequent trauma occurred, the higher the risk of cervical cancer.
• Whitish ongoing and untreated. There are two kinds of discharge, which is normal and not normal. On a normal vaginal discharge, mucus is actually clear, no odor and no itching. If any of these three conditions are not met, it means you are not a normal vaginal discharge. Consultation with a doctor immediately!
• Washing or cleaning genital with unclean water, eg river water or water in public toilets that are not maintained. Dirty water contains a lot of germs and bacteria.
• Use sanitary napkins that contain dioxin (bleach used to whiten the pads recycled from used goods).
• The immune system is weak, the lack of vitamin C, vitamin E and folic acid. Smoking also increase risk of cervical cancer.

In the early stages, cervical cancer symptoms are not too obvious. Here are the symptoms found in cervical cancer:
• Pain or bleeding during intercourse,,
• abnormal vaginal discharge
• Excessive Menstruation
• Lack of appetite, back pain or can not stand upright, pain in the muscles of the thigh, one leg swelling, weight up and down, unable to urinate, discharge of urine from the vagina, spontaneous bleeding after menopause, bone is fragile and pelvic pain.

With cervical cancer symptoms are not noticeable and development for a long time, things we can do is try to find cervical cancer at an early stage.
There are a number of methods to detect or find out if you get cervical cancer, among others:
• IVA - Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid.
Acetic acid solution 3% -5% is applied to the cervix would be observed if there are changes in color, such as white patches appear. If there is, then there is the possibility of infection of the cervix and should be carried out further checks.
• Pap Smear or also known as the Papanicolaou test, Pap test, cervical smear, smear test.
Pap smear has many advantages, including: low cost, fast time and accurate results. This test is recommended to be done at least once a year. Results of cervical smears and then examined under a microscope to see if there are abnormal cells, infection or inflammation. Conduct regular pap smears can reduce the risk of death from cervical cancer.
• Thin prep liquid-based method is more accurate than a pap smear, pap smear because it only takes a few cells from the cervix, while the thin prep examine all parts of the cervix. The sample is used as a slide and given a special dye to make it more clear. Special membrane is used to make preparations with thin slices, which will show an infection or abnormal tissue. The accuracy of this method is almost reached 100%.


If you are detected with 'cervical cancer', do not worry. Right now there are a number of methods to treat cervical cancer. In the early stages, cervical cancer treatment carried out by removing parts that have been affected by cancer, for example by electric surgery, laser or cyrosurgery (freeze and remove the abnormal tissue).
For the treatment of advanced cervical cancer, chemotherapy and radiotherapy therapy. At the end stage or severe cases it had to do a hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the womb (uterus) in total for cancer cells that have been developed in the womb does not spread to other parts of the body.

Prevention is better than cure. Therefore, before you get cervical cancer, here are some suggestions for preventing infection with HPV virus:
• Keep health and stamina by the consumption of nutritious foods. Live a healthy lifestyle by eating vegetables, fruits and cereals. Expand the foods that contain vitamin A, C and E and folic acid to reduce the risk of cervical cancer.
• Before using the toilet in a public place, always clean the toilet lip with alcohol. Do not clean the genitals with dirty water.
• Avoid sexual intercourse at an early age. Avoid sex with multiple partners because HPV is spread through sexual contact. Avoid having sex during menstruation / menses.
• Avoid smoking, because tobacco use can cause cancer.
• Routine screening of pap smears, or IVA cervical cancer to early detection.
• Vaccination can be performed on women aged 10-55 years with a repeat injection 3 times, namely in the months 0, 1 and 6. HPV vaccine will increase the child so it is more resistant immune to the virus.

Enjoy this article and Thanks for reading: Cervical cancer

Related Post