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DESCRIPTION
The cervix is the opening of the uterus, and cervical cancer means malignant cells are found in tissues there. A common, but detectable and treatable, cancer of the cervix (the lower third of the uterus, which opens into the vagina). While the average age of women at diagnosis is about 45, this cancer can affect women of all ages.
Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women with about 12,000 new cases a year, although the rate has dropped over time as more women receive annual pap smears. In this procedure, cells are taken from the surface of the cervix and are examined for abnormalities. Pap smears are important because the early stages of cervical cancer usually produce no symptoms. It's estimated that pap screening can detect about 90 percent of cervical cancers.
The cancer generally grows slowly. In untreated patients with cervical cancer in situ (meaning it developed there and hasn't yet spread elsewhere in the body), 30 to 70 percent will develop invasive cancer, but this will take 10 to 12 years. In one in 10 cases, however, the cancer will invade another area of the body in less than a year. The good news is that early detection will probably save your life: When non-invasive cervical cancers are treated properly, the success rate is almost 100 percent.
The pap smear, which was introduced in the 1940s, made great inroads against the disease. Cervical cancer has dropped from the number one cancer killer of U.S. women to number fourteen. According to the National Cancer Institute, however, the annual death rate of roughly 4,000 is far higher than it should be and reflects that even today half of cervical cancer cases occur in women who haven't had a pap test in the previous five years.
FREQUENT SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Most cervical cancers are squamous carcinomas, but about 15 to 20 percent are clear cell adenocarcinomas - a cancer of cells that produce mucus. The latter may be linked to having a mother who took diethylstilbestrol (DES), which was prescribed for certain pregnancy complications from the 1940s until the early 1970s.
In the early, easily treatable stages:
- No symptoms.
In later stages:
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding.
- Persistent vaginal discharge.
- Pain and bleeding during intercourse.
In final stages:
- Abdominal pain.
- Leaking of feces and urine through the vagina.
- Appetite and weight loss.
- Anemia.
In the early stages, you might notice bleeding after sexual intercourse, or a bloody, watery, or bad-smelling discharge between menstrual periods. (These can also be signs of a precancerous condition known as CIN, or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.)
If the cancer is more advanced, you might experience difficulty or pain during urination, possibly with blood in the urine; a dull backache and swelling in the legs; diarrhea, pain, or bleeding from the rectum after a bowel movement; fatigue and weight loss; or general malaise.
CAUSES
The exact causes or triggers of cervical cancer is unknown. However certain infections and hormones, such as the estrogen found in hormonal contraceptives, have been associated with cancer of the cervix.
Cervical cancer has well-defined precancerous stages. It begins as cervical dysplasia, the appearance of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix. Many cervical dysplasias form in response to infection with certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus that causes genital warts. While women who have had multiple sex partners have the highest rates of cervical cancer (as do those who begin sexual relations early in life), even women who are in lifelong monogamous relationships can develop the disease. For reasons that are not clear, there is a relatively high rate of cervical cancer among Native American women.
Another factor that increases the rate at which cervical dysplasia develops into cancer is use of birth control pills. Oral contraceptives contain progesterone as well as varying amounts of estrogen. These hormones enable HPV to cause cancers and to poison gene p53, a gene which ordinarily ensures that genetically defective or cancerous cells do not multiply. While HPV-associated cancers may be started by estrogen, the hormone does not stimulate their growth once established. However, cervical cancer not caused by HPV infection is stimulated by estrogen. In these cases, reducing estrogen levels allows gene p53 to keep up with cell growth. Other factors that have been associated with cervical cancer include a history of sexually transmitted disease, infertility, smoking, nutritional deficiencies, first sexual intercourse before age eighteen, and having had more than five complete pregnancies.
MoonDragon's STD Information: Genital Warts (HPV - Human papillomavirus)
RISK INCREASES WITH
Early age of first intercourse (before age 18). Multiple sex partners or having a partner that has had multiple sex partners. Multiple pregnancies. Human papillomavirus infection (genital warts). Recurrent vaginal infections (bacterial or viral, including genital herpes). Being HIV-positive. Smoking. A history of abnormal pap test results. A history of uterine, vaginal, or vulvar cancer. Your mother having taken the hormone diethylstilbestrol (DES) when she was pregnant with you.
A recent study indicates that even the granddaughters of women who took DES during pregnancy are at a higher risk for cervical cancer.
U.S. women who are poor and uninsured may also be at greater risk, in part because they are less likely to be screened for the cancer. Half of the more than 12,000 women diagnosed with cervical cancer each year have never had a pap smear, for example, and another 5 percent haven't had the test in the five years prior to their diagnosis. According to a consensus panel for the National Institutes of Health, better screening efforts could prevent virtually all of the 4,000 annual deaths from cervical cancer. The panel recommended that health agencies make special efforts to reach and screen uninsured women, women over the age of 65, and women who live in rural areas or are poor.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
Avoid the risks listed above as much as possible.
Obtain regular medical pelvic examinations.
Obtain regular Pap smears (test done to detect cancer of the cervix in an early and treatable stage).
Regular pelvic examinations and the Pap smear are very effective in detecting precancerous changes or cervical cancer in its symptom-free stage.
Practice safe sex using condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Usually curable if diagnosed before the tumor has spread.
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS
If cervical cancer is not treated early, it spreads beyond the uterus to other body parts leading to death.
TREATMENT
GENERAL MEASURES
Diagnostic tests may include a pelvic examination and a Pap test, followed by a biopsy if a suspicious lesion is seen.
If a pap smear indicates cancer or CIN, your health care provider will need to confirm the finding with a second pap smear as well as a biopsy. During the biopsy, your health care provider will use a colposcope to view your cervix and vagina and will remove a small sample of tissue from your cervix to be examined in a laboratory.
If you have CIN, or a growth of abnormal cells in the cervix, your health care provider may hold off on treatment for a period of months while doing regular tests to see if those cells return to normal. Abnormal cells frequently disappear on their own. If that doesn't happen, your health care provider may decide to remove them through cryotherapy (freezing them off), laser therapy, or other forms of surgery.
The treatments for cervical cancer depend on its severity and type. For carcinoma in situ, or very early cancer, your health care provider may kill the malignant growth through cryosurgery, laser surgery, electrosurgery, or conization (a process in which a cone-shaped piece of cervical tissue is removed).
For more advanced cancers, surgery may be performed to remove the cancerous area. During early stages, this may only involve a small area of the cervix, which preserves childbearing abilities. More advanced stages may require removal of the surrounding tissues or reproductive organs and any other affected tissue (radical hysterectomy). The ovaries are rarely removed in younger women who may want to have children.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy (internal, external or both) are possible treatments for advanced cancer.
This surgery may be coupled with chemotherapy, radiation therapy (in which a radioactive beam is aimed at the cancerous area or radioactive beads are temporarily implanted), or both. Recent clinical trials showed an overall advantage for patients treated with the drug cisplatin in conjunction with radiation therapy.
The earlier the cancer is detected, the better the chances that treatment will succeed. Health care providers can essentially cure nearly all cervical cancers confined to the cervix, which are Stage I cancers. As the cancer spreads beyond the confines of the cervix and becomes a Stage II, III, or IV cancer, the cure rates are lower with each stage.
If you've been diagnosed with cervical cancer and you're unsure about what treatment to pursue, consult more than one health care practitioner. It's important to learn which options are available to you and what methods are favored by different practitioners. If you are interested in nutritional and/or alternative therapies, consult with a practitioner experienced in these fields.
People with cancer often seek to enhance their medical treatments by following special diets, practicing yoga, taking certain herbs, or getting psychological or "mind-body" therapies. If you'd like to learn about such options, try these books:
Before trying any alternative approach, discuss it with your health care provider. Some herbs, for example, can interact dangerously with prescription medicines; so it's important to keep your health care provider informed about what you're taking.
Research shows cancer support groups can increase both the quality of patients' lives and their long-term survival rates. The American Cancer Society can tell you how to get in touch with support groups in your area.
Additional information available from:
American Cancer Society
1599 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30329
Telephone: (800) ACS-2345
Web site:www.cancer.org
National Cancer Institute
Cancer Information Service
(800) 4-CANCER
Web site:www.cancer.gov
Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Web site:www.cancercenter.com
MEDICATION
Medicine usually is not necessary for this disorder if it diagnosed and treated early. If radical surgery and additional treatment are required, anti-cancer drugs may be prescribed.
ACTIVITY
No restrictions. Resume sexual activity once you have medical clearance.
DIET
No special diet. However it is important to follow a healthy and nutritious diet.
Proper nutritional requirements for cervical and endometrial cancer are very similar. Follow suggestions for an ESTROGEN-REDUCING DIET.
ESTROGEN-REDUCING DIET
A proper diet can reduce lifetime exposure to estrogen, which in turn can reduce the risk of a variety of disorders, including breast cancer, endometriosis, and fibrocystic breast disease. Both proper nutrition and reduced estrogen exposure are important considerations for a person who has or has had an estrogen-influenced disorder. You can reduce your lifetime exposure to estrogen by making the following dietary changes:
- Reduce your overall calorie intake: Reducing calorie consumption increases levels of a hormone called SHBG, which keeps estrogen from stimulating the growth of healthy and cancerous cells in the breast. Scientists believe that calorie reduction has the same effect on other estrogen-influenced disorders. Calorie reduction is not recommended, however, during chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
- Eat more whole grains, legumes, and berries, and more fiber-rich foods in general. Fiber increases the rate at which estrogen is excreted from the body. Also, some experts believe that simply adding fiber to the diet can reduce the risk of breast cancer by 75 to 80 percent.
Fiber in the intestine keeps excreted estrogen byproducts from being reassembled by bacteria and reabsorbed into the bloodstream. Because the effects of estrogen are cumulative, the benefits of fiber are also cumulative - eating fiber-rich foods confers lifetime reduction of breast cancer risk. For this effect, it is necessary to eat at least 10 to 20 grams of fiber daily, which is difficult without eating high-fiber cereals. If high-fiber cereal is unpalatable, mix it with regular cereal. Use skim milk in your cereal rather than whole milk to reduce fat consumption.
- Reduce your fat consumption but do not completely exclude healthy fats from your diet. Low-fat diets do not decrease estrogen production but do increase estrogen excretion through the urine. Low-fat diets also tend to include a lot of fruits and vegetables, many of whihc contain compounds that protect against cancer.
Note, however, that some kinds of fat are cancer protective. Omega-3 essential fatty acids from fish oils have shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Eating two to three servings a week of salmon, tuna, sardines, or other cold-water fish, or taking fish-oil capsules confers this benefit. In laboratory studies, cancer cells grown in the same test tube as healthy cells without essential fatty acids overtake the cancer cells. Olive oil and similar monounsaturated fats also substantially reduce the risk of breast cancer, but include them in your diet in moderation.
- If you are overweight, lose weight. Gradual weight loss after menopause reverses the effects of estrogen overexposure.
- Use acidophilus supplements. While the liver breaks down estrogen before sending it to the digestive tract for elimination., bacteria in the intestines can turn these breakdown products back into estrogen. The hormone can then be reabsorbed through the intestinal wall. Taking Lactobacillus acidophilus supplements daiy can provide your body with the beneficial microbes that compete with the estorgen forming bacteria.
HOLISTIC, HERBAL, & DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS
You should use herbal medicine as part of a medically directed overall treatment plan for cervical cancer. Herbal medicine can make chemotherapy or radiation treatment more bearable and effective, and increase the likelihood of achieving remission.
Supplements and herbs:Aloe juice. Take 1/3 cup (80 ml) 3 times daily. Keeps the liver from processing certain toxins into carcinogenic forms. Do not take aloe vera juice internally if you have diarrhea.
Astragalus capsules. Take 500-1,000 mg 3 times daily. Increases production of immune-system chemical IL-2, which fights HPV. Activates gene p53. Do not use astragalus if you have a fever or a skin infection.
Green tea catechin extract. Take 240 mg 3 times daily. Deactivates plasmin, a substance that creates pathways for blood-vessel tumors.
Lentinan intramuscular injection, given by health-care provider. Activates immune-system cells, LAK and NK cells, to fight cancer.
Polysaccharide kureha (PSK) tablets. Take 2,000 mg 3 times daily. Stops tumor spread. Increases effectiveness of radiation therapy.
Snow fungus or yin mi pian tablets. Take 6-12 tablets daily during radiation therapy. Sensitizes cervical cancer cells to radiation therapy.
Turmeric curcumin tablets. Take 250-500 mg twice daily, between meals. Activates gene p53.
Fenugreek herb.
Consume more dark-green or yellow vegetables and fruit juices for their antioxidant content. A four-year study of 2,189 women with cervical cancer found that those who consumed these items frequently had a lower risk of developing invasive cancer. Compounds in these vegetables that are similar to vitamin A deactivate one of HPV's cancer causing genes, although they are more effective in the disease's earliest stages.
Fortify your diet with the antioxidant supplements vitamin E and glutamine. Taking 200 to 400 international units of vitamin E per day has been shown to provide a threefold decrease in the rate of invasive cancer. Lower levels of vitamin E have been found at every successive stage of cervical cancer-that is, the worse the cancer, the lower the tissue amounts of vitamin E. Similarly, scientists have found lower levels of the amino acid glutathione (and higher levels of the enzyme that destroys it) at every successive stage of the disease. Glutamine, taken at a dose of 250 milligrams a day, is an important antioxidant building block, especially if combined with 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C per day.
Take thymic factor supplements to stimulate the immune system in cervical cancer. However, do not take thymic factors during chemotherapy with doxorubicin (Adriamycin) or cisplatin (Platinol), since the net effect of combining thymus supplements with these medications is less than the effect of either thymus supplements or chemotherapy alone.
If you smoke, quit, and avoid exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke contains 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, also known as NNK, which can interfere with the immune system, decreasing its ability to keep HPV in check and greatly increasing the risk of cervical cancer.
An abnormal Pap smear does not mean a woman has cervical cancer. Each year, approximately 2 million American women are given a diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS). Only 5 to 10 percent of these women have cervical cancer, and most of those who do have it test positive for HPV. Fortunately, there is now a more sensitive test for HPV infection. The Hybrid Capture II test detects 90 to 95 percent of cases of HPV infection, compared to 75 to 80 percent for the Pap smear. This test is especially helpful if the results of a Pap smear are inconclusive.
Health-care professionals have long known that cancerous or pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix turn white when exposed to vinegar. In most cases, this change can be observed visually by your health care provider or trained midwife.
If cervical cancer in a younger woman must be treated surgically, a new operating procedure can preserve fertility. This procedure, known as a trachelectomy, removes the cervix while preserving the uterus. In the first twenty-six women who underwent the procedure, only one experienced a recurrence of the cancer.
Women who take oral contraceptives who have cervical dysplasia are much less likely to develop more severe dysplasia or cancer if they take folic acid supplements. In one study of such women, 16 percent of those who did not take folic acid had more severe dysplasia after four months, while none of the those taking folic acid (at a dosage of 10 milligrams per day) saw their conditions worsen.
CANCER PREVENTION SUPPLEMENTAL PRODUCTS
Supplements and information for help in preventing cancer.
Nature's Way Barley Bran - STD 60% Beta Glucan Nature's Way - 60 Vcaps.
Nature's Way's Barley Bran, has one of the highest Barley Beta Glucan contents commercially available which makes it the supplement of choice for anyone looking to pump up their cardiovascular health.Kombucha 2000 - Concentrated Kombucha Capsule - 30 caps
Concentrated Kombucha Capsules are new to the market, but Kombucha 2000 is one of the very first successful kombucha tea producers in the United States.Flax Protein/Fiber/Lignan Cold Milled Powder Plus Omega 3, Certified Organic, Nature's Way - 16 oz.
With 6g Fiber/300mg Lignan/5g Protein (including 18 amino acids) per serving, Nature's Way EFAGold is one of nature's richest sources of protein, fiber & essential fatty acids.Niacin (vitamin B-3) 100% Natural, Nature's Way 100mg - 100 Caps
Vitamin B-3 (Niacin) is a vasodilator (widens the blood vessels) and is involved in the maintenance of healthy skin, circulation, gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism, sex hormone synthesis, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, cardiovascular disease, cancer prevention, memory enhancement, schizophrenia and other mental disorders.Turmeric Extract (Curcuma Longa) Standardized to 95% Curcuminoids, 500mg - 120 Tabs
Turmeric extract has become a popular herbal supplement due to the potent antioxidant properties of it's active constituent curcuminoids.Vitamin C 1000 with Bioflavonoids, Nature's Way, 100% Natural, 1000mg - 250 Vcaps
Nature's Way Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids provides antioxidant protection for many of the body's important enzyme systems.Vitamin E, d-alpha tocopherol 400 IU - 100 Softgels
Vitamin E has potent antioxidant activity, supplies oxygen to the blood, aids in strengthening capillary walls, and plays a beneficial role in cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention, anti-aging benefits, circulation, wound-healing, immune function, nervous system function, PMS, hot flushes, diabetes, vascular disease, eye health, tissue repair, athletic performance, leg cramps, skin and hair health, and alleviating fatigue.Selenium Ionic Mineral Supplement, Fully Absorbable, 50 +/- ppm - 16 fl. oz.
WaterOz Ionic Selenium is pure liquid Selenium supplement. Selenium promotes normal body growth, enhances fertility, encourages tissue elasticity and is a potent antioxidant that naturally reduces the retention of toxic metals in the body. Selenium is crucial for the proper functioning of the heart muscle and there is evidence that it can help the body fight cancer.Garlicin HC, Healthy Circulation Formula w/Odor-Free Garlic Nature's Way - 90 Enteric-Coated Tabs
HC supports circulation by lowering serum cholesterol and helps maintaining circulatory efficiency. Hawthorn improves blood and nutrient flow to the heart muscle. And, Vitamin E has been shown to help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol.Vitamin C 500 W/ Rosehips 100% Natural, 500mg - 250 Caps
Vitamin C with Rose Hips is an antioxidant useful in treating infections, bruising, colds & flu, sinusitis, sore throats, blood clots, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, physical and mental stress, immune function, cholesterol levels, liver toxicity and assists in collagen formation.Green Tea, 100% Darjeeling Green Tea, NOW Foods - 30 Tea Bags
100% Organic Green Tea contains antioxidants that may reduce the risk of cancer, fight the flu, lower blood sugar, prevent cavities, and lower blood cholesterol.Green Tea Tincture, 100% Organic Green Tea - Natural - 2 fl. oz
Green Tea inhibits cancer growth, kills cancer cells, lowers LDL cholesterol levels, inhibits abnormal clotting (reducing heart attack risks), burns calories, and prevents tooth decay!Soy Isoflavones, 500mg - 100 Caps
We guarantee at least 12.5mg of soy isoflavones per capsule.Natural Fiber Supplement (Trumans) - 12 oz.
Truman's Natural Fiber Supplement formula helps to give bulk to the stool and to check diarrhea; thus, creating balance in the bowel movements.Anti Cancer Formula, 100% Organic - 16 fl. oz.
The Anti Cancer Formula builds the immune system and adds many anti tumor constituents to help fight cancer.Dry Vitamin D, 400 IU, Nature's Way 100% Natural - 100 Caps
Vitamin D helps the body to regulate the transport of calcium from the digestive system through the bloodstream to bone as well as warding off cancer, lowering blood pressure, wards off depression and strengthens bones.How to Prevent and Treat Cancer w/ Natural Medicine, by Dr. Michael Murray
Simply stated, this books provide a clear path to changing the environment within your body so that it will not support the growth of cancer.Beating Cancer With Nutrition, Revised With Audio CD, by Patrick Quillin, Ph.D., R.D.
Discusses nutrients that make chemo and radiation therapy less damaging to the patient and more effective in treating cancer. These simple, safe and effective methods combine the best of science and nature to improve outcome for cancer patients.Breast Cancer! Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way By Susun S. Weed, Christiane Northrup
Presents safe and effective herbs and home remedies that can prevent breast cancer from starting, or that can be used by cancer patients to complement orthodox treatments.Cancer Battle Plan: Six Strategies for Beating Cancer from a Recovered "Hopeless Case" By Anne E. Frahm, David J. Frahm
Nutritional battle plan that incorporates six strategies for beating cancer.
NOTIFY YOUR MIDWIFE OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IF...
You or a family member has persistent vaginal bleeding or other symptoms of cervical cancer.
You have not had a pelvic examination or Pap smear in at least one year.
Mountain Rose Bulk Herbs
Mountain Rose Aromatherapy Oils
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