• What is Cervical Cancer Syndrome?


    It's the genetic predisposition to develop Cervical cancer. If any relative has had or has died from this type of cancer or any other, visit your doctor because screening tests before having symptoms might change the course of cancer.

    Cervical Cancer is a malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. A group of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix which spread deeper into the cervix, and possibly to other tissues or organs. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the major risk factor for development of cervical cancer. It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests.

    Initial Symptoms of cervical cancer:

    • Moderate pain during sexual intercourse
    • Vaginal discharge.

    Advanced stages symptoms:

    • Loss of appetite
    • Weight Loss
    • Fatigue
    • Pelvic pain and/or back pain
    • Leg pain
    • Single swollen leg
    • Heavy bleeding from the vagina
    • Leaking of urine or feces from the vagina
    • Bone fractures

    What is the best cervical cancer treatment?

    Before choosing the right treatment some aspects must be taken into consideration, such as the stage of the cancer, the size of the tumor, the patient's desire to have children, and the patient's age.

    Treatment options can be used focusing on one therapy or a combination of therapies.
    • Surgery: to remove the cancer
    • Radiation therapy: it treats the cancer or affected organs
    • Chemotherapy: makes the cancer more sensitive to radiation and treats metastasized cancer (spread)
    • Cone biopsy: removes the cancer
    • A simple hysterectomy: to remove the uterus and the cervix
    • Hysterectomy and lymph node dissection: removes the cancer
    • Radical trachelectomy: to remove the cervix and the pelvic lymph nodes

    What are the cervical cancer stages?

    The following is the TNM cancer staging system:

    Stage 0 - full-thickness involvement of the epithelium without invasion into the stroma (carcinoma in situ)
    Stage I - limited to the cervix
    IA - diagnosed only by microscopy; no visible lesions
    IA1 - stromal invasion less than 3 mm in depth and 7 mm or less in horizontal spread
    IA2 - stromal invasion between 3 and 5 mm with horizontal spread of 7 mm or less
    IB - visible lesion or a microscopic lesion with more than 5 mm of depth or horizontal spread of more than 7 mm
    IB1 - visible lesion 4 cm or less in greatest dimension
    IB2 - visible lesion more than 4 cm
    Stage II - invades beyond cervix
    IIA - without parametrial invasion, but involve upper 2/3 of vagina
    IIB - with parametrial invasion
    Stage III - extends to pelvic wall or lower third of the vagina
    IIIA - involves lower third of vagina
    IIIB - extends to pelvic wall and/or causes hydronephrosis or non-functioning kidney
    IVA - invades mucosa of bladder or rectum and/or extends beyond true pelvis
    IVB - distant metastasis

    There are some important aspects to remember. First, in order to detect cancer syndrome is necessary to have screening tests like the smear pap. Second, there are some habits or lifestyles which can increase the risk such as: Infection with the HPV virus, starting to have sex at an early age, having a lot of sexual partners (more exposure), smoking, having a suppressed immune system. Third, symptoms of cervical cancer appear at advance stages of the cancer. Fourth, although there aren't studies that confirm that this type of cancer could be inherited, to identify the cervical cancer syndrome save lives.