Of course you are familiar with the term cervical cancer, or cancer of the cervix. True, as the name suggests, cervical cancer is cancer that occurs in the uterine cervix, a region in the female reproductive organ which is the entrance to the uterus located between the womb (uterus) with a hole in intercourse (vaginal). This cancer usually occurs in women who have been outstanding, but the statistical evidence indicates that cervical cancer can also attack the women aged between 20 to 30 years.
Indeed the term "cancer" alone is certain to give the impression scary and creepy. Like a convict received a death sentence.
How it is with cervical cancer?
Is also as scary to some other cancers?
According to experts cancer, cervical cancer is one type of cancer the most preventable and most curable of all cancers. But, even so, in the region of western Australia alone, there were 85 people diagnosed positive women against cervical cancer every year. And in 1993 alone, 40 women had died a victim of this cancer malignancy.
How is cervical cancer occur?
Like all cancers, cervical cancer occurs characterized by the growth of cells in the cervix are not normal (abnormal). But before these cells become cancer cells, there was some changes experienced by these cells. Changes in these cells normally takes many years before the cells had been transformed into cancer cells. During the pause, the right treatment will soon be able to stop the abnormal cells before they turn into cancer cells. Abnormal cells can be detected its presence with a test called a Pap smear test ", so the earlier the abnormal cells were detected, the more rendahlah person's risk of cervical cancer.
It is a Pap smear test is a test that is safe and inexpensive and has been used for years to detect abnormalities that occur in cells of the cervix. This test was first discovered by Dr. George Papanicolou, so called Pap smear test. Pap smear test is a method, examination of cells taken from the cervix and then examined under a microscope to see the changes that occur from such cells. Changes in cervical cells are detected early treatment will enable some of the actions taken before these cells can develop into cancer cells.
This test only takes a few minutes. In the state of lying on your back, a device called a speculum will be inserted into the hole intercourse. This tool serves to open and hold the vaginal wall in order to remain open, allowing the view that free and the cervix is clearly visible. Cervical cells and then taken by way of wiping the cervix with an instrument called a spatula, a device resembling a stalk on the ice cream, and swabs are rubbed on the object-glass, and then sent to a pathology laboratory for a more thorough examination.
Pap smear test procedure may be very unpleasant for you, but will not cause pain. Maybe you prefer a female doctor for this procedure, but in general, general practitioners and family planning clinics may be asked to help for a Pap smear test. Try doing a Pap smear test is on a week or two weeks after the end of your menstrual period. If you have menopause, a Pap smear test you can do anytime. But if the bladder uterus and cervix have been removed or surgery (hysterectomy or surgical removal of the bladder uterus and cervix), you do not need to perform a Pap smear test because you have free from the risk of cervical cancer. Pap smear tests are usually conducted every two years, and better done on a regular basis. It should always remember is never too late to do the Pap smear test. Pap smear test is always required even if you no longer perform sexual activities.
How Signs of Cervical Cancer?
Early changes that occur in the cervical cells are not always a sign of cancer. Pap smear test regularly is necessary to know the early beginning of a change in the cancer cells. Changes in cancer cells can then cause bleeding after sexual activity or between menstrual periods.
If you have these signs, you should immediately take the examination to the doctor. Any change or discharge (discharge) is not a normal thing, and careful examination should be done immediately even if you've just done a Pap smear test. Nonetheless, in general, after a careful examination, the results are not always positive cancer.
Treatment
As with other disease events, if the initial change can be detected as early as possible, measures of treatment can be given as early as possible. If the initial changes have been known to the general treatment is given by:
1. Heating, diathermy or laser.
2. Cone biopsy, that is by taking a bit of cervical cells, including cells that underwent a change. This allows a more thorough inspection to ensure the existence of cells that underwent a change. This check can be performed by the obstetrician.
If the course of the disease had reached the stage of pre-cancer and cervical cancer had been identified, then for healing, some things you can do is:
1. Operation, namely by taking a cancerous area, usually the uterus and cervix.
2. Radiotherapy is by using high-powered X-rays that can be done internally or externally.
The risk for esophageal cancer :
Every woman who had sexual intercourse involves the risks of cervical cancer. Cervical cells may experience changes, so it is necessary to do a Pap smear test regularly (both who have or who have never get a Pap smear test). Similarly, for those of you who smoke likely to get cervical cancer is very large.
The presence of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) are often suspected as the cause of the abnormal changes of the cervical cells.
Having a sexual partner or alternate start sexual activity at a very young age also increase the risk of the possibility of getting cervical cancer.
What should you do to prevent cervical cancer?
The first, if you had sexual intercourse you should do the Pap smear test regularly every two years and this is done until you are 70 years old. In some cases doctors may recommend to perform a Pap smear test more often.
The second case was reported symptoms such as abnormal bleeding, especially after coitus (intercourse).
The third thing is to not smoke. Statistical data reported that the risk of cervical cancer will be higher if the woman smokes.
By doing some actions that can minimize the risk, hopefully we kept away from this incident cervical cancer. Hopefully.
Can you imagine, how do you feel if you know the results of 'Pap Smear' you gave abnormal results? Surely you would feel worried and anxious, when you discover that the diagnosis 'Pap Smear' you are abnormal. But do not worry too much beforehand, because not all the appearance of abnormal cells that means cancer. Indeed 'Pap Smear' can detect abnormalities-cell changes early cervical cells. Paradigm that must be remembered is that the early discovery of abnormalities on examination 'Pap smear', then the easier it will be solved the problem.
Does it mean if 'Pap Smear' you are abnormal.
Results 'Pap Smear' said abnormal if cells from your cervix when examined under a microscope will give different appearance of normal cells. This event usually occurs one of the 10 examinations 'Pap Smear'. Some factors that may give an indication of the discovery apparition 'Pap smear' that is abnormal:
1. Unsatisfactory 'Pap Smear'
In this case, means that employees in these Lab can not see the cells rahims your neck with the detail that failed to make a report to your doctor komprehensive. If this case happened to you should you come back to check 'Pap Smear' in time to be determined by your doctor.
2. If there is infection or inflammation
Sometimes on the examination of 'Pap Smear' gives the appearance of inflammation. This means that cells in the neck rahims experiencing a mild irritation in character. Indeed sometimes we can detect inflammation through the examination of 'Pap smear', even if we do not feel the complaints because they do not terasanya clinical symptoms caused. Why all kinds. May have occurred due to bacterial infection, or because the fungus'. Consult with your doctor about this problem along with medication if necessary. Ask when you will have to undergo 'Pap Smear' again.
3. Minor Atypia Atypia or
The meaning of this situation is that if on examination 'Pap Smear' detectable changes rahims neck cells, but very minor and the cause is not clear. In this case, usually the result reported as 'atypia'. Usually the change is the appearance of cells due to inflammation, but also because it is not unusual for a viral infection. Because to make a definitive diagnosis is not possible at this stage, your doctor may recommend you for another checkup in six months. In general, these cells will be back to normal again. So, it is very important for you to do a 'Pap smear' again to make sure that the abnormalities apparent on first inspection is not a serious disruption. If the result produces the same results then you may be advised to undergo colposcopy.
Is colposcopy it?
Colposcopy is a procedure and neck rahims vaginal examination by a physician experienced in the field. By examining the surface rahims neck, the doctor will determine the cause of abnormality of cervical cells rahims as stated in the examination of 'Pap Smear'. How to colposcopy is as follows: the doctor will insert a liquid into the vagina and provide color channels rahims neck with a cervical fluid that makes the surface rahims containing abnormal cells terwarnai .. Then the doctor will look into the cervical canal rahims through a tool called kolposkop. Kolposkop is a binocular microscope, such instruments that use a strong light with high magnification.
If an abnormal area has been localized, the doctor will take samples in those tissues (biopsy) for later sent to a lab for a detailed and accurate examination. Treatment will depend at all on the results of your colposcopy.
How do with your sexual activity?
At this stage, you need not worry about your sexual activity. You do not need absent sexual activity just because the examination 'Pap Smear' you was positive, because the state of pre-cancer or cancer that your pain may not be passed on to your husband. But if you're in a healing treatment, you should ask your doctor when you can have sex intercourse again and how often those relationships.
Should further examination after completion of treatment?
Further examination after the completion of the treatment is absolutely necessary to obtain assurance that the areas that have been treated had healed completely. Even if you get treatment method is very effective, abnormal cells can sometimes be a recurrence, it can even grow with a higher degree of severity. So early detection is very very essential. During the first two years during your treatment, you are advised to undergo examination 'Pap Smear' every three months or six months. If after three consecutive examination results 'Pap Smear' you are normal, this means you have to be declared cured, and you can examine the 'Pap Smear' are every year once it continuously.
