Cervical cancer begins in the cervix (the lower part of the uterus or womb) when normal cells change to abnormal cells that grow and spread uncontrollably.
Cervical cancer (or cancer of the cervix) was once the most common type of cancer in women. Today, the Pap test (a test to determine if abnormal cells are present or not) helps doctors detect changes in the cervix before cancer develops. This has made cervical cancer less common. Cervical cancer is the only gynecologic cancer (cancer of a woman’s reproductive system) that can be prevented with regular screening.
If you have received a diagnosis of cervical cancer, you should know that you are not alone. In 2008, invasive cancer of the cervix (cancer that has spread from the lining of the cervix to tissue deeper in the cervix or to other parts of the body) will be diagnosed in approximately 11,070 women in the United States, according to estimates from the American Cancer Society. Some researchers believe that noninvasive cervical cancer (found only the surface of the cervix, known as carcinoma in situ) is about four times more common than invasive cervical cancer.
The Cervix
The word "cervix" comes from a Latin word for "neck." The cervix is the narrow section in the lower part of the uterus, or womb. The upper part of the uterus shelters and nourishes a fetus (baby) before birth. The cervix connects the body of the uterus to the vagina (birth canal).
Blood flows from the uterus through the cervical canal into the vagina during a woman's monthly periods. The cervix also produces mucus, which helps sperm move from the vagina into the uterus. During pregnancy, the cervix is tightly closed to help keep the baby inside the uterus. When a woman gives birth, the cervix dilates (opens) to allow the baby to pass through the vagina.
The cervix has two parts:
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Endocervix - Part of the cervix closest to the body of the uterus
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Ectocervix - Part of the cervix closest to the vagina.
Most cervical cancers start where the endocervix and ectocervix meet.
How Cervical Cancer Starts
Cervical cancer begins in the lining of the cervix. Cervical cancers do not form suddenly; instead, normal cervical cells gradually develop precancerous changes that turn into cancer. This process can take many years.
At first, the changes in the cells are abnormal but not cancerous. But some of these abnormal changes are thought to be the first step in a series of slow changes that can lead to cancer. This phase of the disease is called dysplasia (abnormal growth of cells). For most women, these precancerous cells will not change and will eventually go away without any treatment. But if these precancers are treated, almost all actual cancers of the cervix can be prevented.
Types of Cervical Cancer
Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas or adenocarcinomas:
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Squamous cell carcinoma - These tumors are made up of flat, thin cells that line the outer part of the cervix. Squamous cell carcinomas usually begin where the ectocervix joins the endocervix. About 80 percent to 90 percent of cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.
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Adenocarcinoma - Cervical adenocarcinoma develops from the cells lining the endocervix. Adenocarcinomas are becoming more common in women born in the last 20 to 30 years, and these cancers account for about 10 percent to 20 percent of cervical cancers.
In rare cases, cervical cancers have features of both squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. These are called adenosquamous carcinomas or mixed carcinomas.
Key Statistics
According to the American Cancer Society, the number of deaths from cervical cancer in the United States dropped by 74 percent between 1955 and 1992. The main reason for this decrease was the increased use of the Pap test, which can find changes in the cervix before cancer develops. This test can also find early cancer in its most curable stage.
Half of all women diagnosed with cervical cancer are between 35 and 55. This disease rarely occurs in women younger than 20. Slightly more than 20 percent of women with cervical cancer are diagnosed when they are over 65.
Hispanic women are more than twice as likely to get cervical cancer as non-Hispanic white women. African-American women are also more likely to develop cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women.
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This content has been reviewed and approved by Myo Thant, MD.