Cervical Cancer

 

Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women. Then, between 1955 and 1992, the cervical cancer death rate declined by almost 70%. The main reason for this change was the increased use of the Pap test. This screening procedure can find changes in the cervix before cancer develops. It can also find cervical cancer early − in its most curable stage. The death rate from cervical cancer has been stable in recent years.Cervical cancer tends to occur in midlife. Most cases are found in women younger than 50. It rarely develops in women younger than 20. Many older women do not realize that the risk of developing cervical cancer is still present as they age. More than 20% of cases of cervical cancer are found in women over 65. However these cancers rarely occur in women who have been getting regular tests to screen for cervical cancer before they were 65.

 

Symptoms

Women with early cervical cancers and pre-cancers usually have no symptoms. Symptoms often do not begin until a pre-cancer becomes a true invasive cancer and grows into nearby tissue. When this happens, the most common symptoms are, abnormal vaginal bleeding, such as bleeding after sex (vaginal intercourse), bleeding after menopause, bleeding and spotting between periods, and having longer or heavier (menstrual) periods than usual. Bleeding after douching, or after a pelvic exam is a common symptom of cervical cancer but not pre-cancer. An unusual discharge from the vagina − the discharge may contain some blood and may occur between your periods or after menopause and pain during sex (vaginal intercourse).

 

Outlook - Prognosis 

For cervical cancer, the survival rate is close to 100% when precancerous or early cancerous changes are found and treated. The prognosis for invasive cervical cancer depends on the stage of the cancer when it is found.According to Cancer Research UK around two-thirds of patients survive cervical cancer beyond five years after diagnosis. The NHS emphasises that if the cancer is still at an early stage the outlook will usually be very good and a complete cure is often possible. The NHS also says that more than 90% of women with stage one cervical cancer will live at least five years after receiving a diagnosis and around one in three people with the more advanced type of cervical cancer will live at least five years.It is also important to note that no statistics can tell you what will happen to you. Your cancer is unique and so are you. The same type of cancer can grow at different rates in different people. The statistics are not detailed enough to tell you about the different treatments people may have had and how their treatment may have affected the outlook for them.

 

Support Groups

You can ease the stress of illness by joining a prostate cancer support group. Sharing with others who have common experiences and problems can help you not feel alone.  Please contact Circle of Hope Inc. for our support meeting schedule. (661) 254-5218