The lower portion of the uterus that attaches to the vagina, or the cervix, is where the cells of the cervical cancer develop. The second most frequent malignancy in women between 15 and 65 is cervical cancer.

When a woman is exposed to the HPV (Human Papilloma virus), her immune system usually stops the virus from doing any damage. However, because the virus can live for years, it can cause certain surface cells to develop into cancer cells. You must not delay to reach out to one of the experts of dural family medical practice if there’s any symptoms of cervical cancer. 

Regular screenings using Pap tests and human papillomavirus (HPV) tests to identify any precancers and cure them can frequently avoid cervical cancer. Additionally, it can be avoided by getting the HPV vaccine.

If you experience symptoms like unusual vaginal bleeding or pain during sex, cervical cancer may also be suspected. The tests required to identify pre-malignancies and cancers can frequently be performed by your primary care physician or gynaecologist, who may also be able to treat a pre-cancer. Your doctor should refer you to a gynecologic oncologist, a medical professional who focuses on cancers of women’s reproductive systems, if you are diagnosed with an invasive malignancy.

Tests for people with symptoms of cervical cancer

The doctor will first enquire into your personal and family medical background. This covers details on cervical cancer risk factors and symptoms. A thorough physical examination will aid in determining your general state of health. A pelvic examination and, if necessary, a Pap test will be performed on you. Your lymph nodes will also be felt to determine whether the malignancy has spread (metastasis).

 

Colposcopy

You will probably need to have a procedure called a colposcopy if you exhibit specific symptoms that could indicate cancer, if the results of your Pap test reveal abnormal cells, or if your HPV test is positive. As with a pelvic exam, you will lie on the examination table. In order to keep the vagina open while using a colposcope to examine the cervix, the doctor will insert a speculum there. The colposcope is a device with magnifying lenses that stays outside the body. It enables the clinician to get a close-up view of the cervix’s surface. A small bit of tissue will be taken (a biopsy) and sent to a lab to be carefully examined if an abnormal area is visible.

 

Cystoscopy, proctoscopy, and examination under anesthesia

Women with big tumours are the ones who typically undergo this. If the cancer is detected early, they are not required. 

A thin tube with a lens and a light is inserted into the bladder through the urethra during a cystoscopy. This enables the physician to examine your bladder and urethra to see whether cancer has spread there. Cystoscopy allows for the removal of biopsy samples for laboratory analysis. While a local anaesthetic can be used to perform a cystoscopy, certain people may require general anaesthesia.

A lighted tube is used during a proctoscopy to visually examine your rectum to check for the spread of cervical cancer there. While you are under anaesthesia, your doctor may perform a pelvic exam to determine whether the cancer has progressed beyond the cervix.

 

Intravenous urography

An x-ray of the urinary system is taken during intravenous urography, also known as intravenous pyelography or IVP, after a particular dye has been injected into a vein. This examination can detect abnormalities in the urinary tract brought on by cervical cancer spread. The most frequent discovery is that the ureters have been obstructed by the malignancy (tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder). Since CT and MRI are also good at detecting abnormalities in the urinary system as well as others that are not visible with an IVP, IVP is rarely utilised for patients with cervical cancer.

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