Annual screening for cervical cancer is done using the papanicolaou or PAP smear, which has significantly reduced the incidence of cervical cancer.
Signs and symptoms:
- Unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge
- Urinary frequency or pain
- Bleeding after intercourse
Risk Factors:
- Early age of first intercourse
- Multiparity (multiple births)
- Infections with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
- Multiple sexual partners
- Smoking
Stages:
- Stage I: Lesion is confined to the cervix
- Stage II: The cancer has spread beyond the cervix and surrounding tissues
- Stage III: The cancer has extended to the pelvic sidewall or to the lower vagina
- Stage IV: The cancer has spread beyond the cervix and involves the bladder or rectum
Treatment:
Early stage cancers of the cervix can be treated with radical hysterectomy and removal of the lymph nodes. More advanced cancers are usually treated with a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
- Physical Exam and PAP smear
- Every 3-4 months for 2 years
- Every 6 months for years 3-5
- Yearly thereafter