Is Cervical Cancer Healable?
More than 10,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States each year. This disease often can be treated successfully if it is caught in its early stages --- approximately two-thirds of the women who receive a diagnosis of cervical cancer overcome the illness and survive. A preventative vaccine is now available for women without cervical cancer and, for those women who already have been diagnosed with cervical cancer, there are effective treatment options available.
Prevention/Solution
There is now available an FDA approved vaccine called Gardasil that women can take to prevent cervical cancer. Most cervical cancer cases are caused by the sexually transferred human papillomavirus (HPV). The vaccine works by blocking two cancer causing strains of HPV, thereby significantly decreasing a woman's chance of getting cervical cancer. The cervical cancer vaccine is recommended for girls aged 11 and older.
History
Cervical cancer used to be a much larger problem before the 1950s, when women started receiving regular Pap tests in America. In fact, in the 1940s cervical cancer was one of the top causes of female death in the United States. The introduction of Pap tests as part of women's physicals caused the mortality rate from cervical cancer to drop by 74 percent because the disease could be detected much earlier. With the recent addition of the cervical cancer vaccine to the market, medical professionals expect to see an even greater decline in deaths due to cervical cancer.
Identification
It is important to identify cervical cancer in its earliest stages so that treatment can be sought immediately. Most of the time, women who are just starting to develop cervical cancer show no symptoms. This is why annual Pap tests are so crucial. Pap tests are a woman's best chance of catching cervical cancer in its earliest stages. Symptoms of cervical cancer, once it has progressed from the earliest stages of the disease, include vaginal discharge, abnormal vaginal bleeding, and pain during sexual intercourse. Women who experience any of these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.
Misconceptions
Many people believe that cervical cancer can only develop in women who are sexually active. While it is true that 95 percent of cervical cancer cases are caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV), it is important to note that cigarette smoke can also cause cervical cancer to develop. If you smoke but are not sexually active then you can still develop this disease, so seek medical attention immediately if you experience symptoms of cervical cancer.
Considerations
If you do have cervical cancer, there are several treatment options available. If the cancer is in its early stages and has not spread outside of the cervix, then surgery is the most common treatment. The recommended surgery for cervical cancer is a hysterectomy, which means the removal of the cancer, the cervix and the uterus. This can be devastating for younger women, who cannot bear children after having a hysterectomy. However, it is the most effective treatment for early stage cervical cancer and is usually successful in healing the patient. If the cervical cancer is in a more advanced stage and has begun to spread outside of the cervix, then doctors will generally use a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells. These treatments can also be very effective as well but, as with any cancer, the chance of the patient surviving decreases the later the cancer is diagnosed.
Benefits
People who eat a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables reap significant health benefits, including a significantly decreased chance of developing cervical cancer. Women who consume a lot a vegetables have a 54 percent lower risk of HPV persisting and turning into cervical cancer than women who do not eat vegetables regularly.
Time Frame
If it is caught in its early stages, cervical cancer is usually able to be healed. 90 percent of women with early Stage I cervical cancer are alive five years after being diagnosed. 65 percent of women with intermediate Stage II cervical cancer are alive five years after being diagnosed. 35 percent of women with advanced Stage III cervical cancer are alive five years after being diagnosed. Less than 15 percent of women with very advanced Stage IV cervical cancer are alive five years after being diagnosed. These statistics clearly show the importance of detecting, diagnosing, and treating cervical cancer as early as possible to increase the patient's chance of survival.
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