Cervical Cancer
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is cancer that develops from the skin of the cervix or glandular tissue inside the canal of the cervix. The two most common cell types are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the cervix. Both of these types of cervical cancer are caused by prolonged infection of the cervix to HPV strains that are able to change the DNA of the cells in specific ways that cause cancer. The process from initial HPV infection to development of precancerous cervical dysplasia to later development of invasive cervical cancer is slow in most women, occuring over years. This slow process from initial HPV infection to cancer development is the reason that cervical cancer screening with pap testing and HPV testing followed by risk reduction/prevention with diagnostic excisional procedures such as LEEP and conization is highly effect to prevent cervical cancer, making cervical cancer a rare disease in women who participate in cervical cancer screening by routinely getting pap testing. For this reason, when cervical cancer is diagnosed in a woman who participates in screening routinely, it is often diagnosed at a very early stage, such as only a small microscopic area of disease, and is relatively easy to treat with high rates of cure with surgery. Some women only need a diagnostic excision excisional procedure or a simple hysterectomy, while a small percentage of women are good candidates for radical hysterectomy. However, among women who do not routinely get pap testing, cervical cancer often does not cause symptoms until it is advanced, and therefore these women are often diagnosed with locally-advanced or metastatic disease, are often not candidates for surgery, are treated primarily with chemotherapy and/or radiation, and experience a harder time with treatment and lower chance of curing their disease. In other words, with cervical cancer, a little prevention goes a long way. Women, please get your pap tests! Even better, get HPV vaccination if you are a candidate, and get your daughters HPV vaccination when they are of age.
Due to effective screening and prevention, thankfully, cervical cancer is only diagnosed among about 13,000 American women per year. Therefore, in the USA, cervical cancer is less common than endometrial and ovarian cancer. However, in countries today where women routinely DO NOT get pap tests, cervical cancer is more common than endometrial and ovarian cancer and is the most common gynecologic cancer.
Specialized Care
At Southland Uro+Gynecology, LLC, Dr. Seagle routinely evaluates and manages women with abnormal pap testing, newly-diagnosed cervical dysplasia (CIN) or cervical cancer. Greater than 99% of procedures are performed as outpatient surgery. Some women needing LEEP procedures have these performed in the office. Care is individualized based on the needs of each woman and, when needed, care is coordinated with each woman's local or preferred cancer center specialists in Radiation and/or Medical Oncology. When rarely needed or in the best interest of the patient, patients are referred to academic centers for Gynecologic Oncology (Medical College of Georiga or Emory) depending on their clinical trial eligibility and/or unusual circumstances. Most women with gynecologic cancer can receive outstanding care for their cervical cancer at home or closer to home in South Georgia, including access to individualized use of newer treatments (example: immunothearpy).
Learn more from SGO
Copyright © 2024 Southland Uro+Gynecology, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy
This website uses cookies.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.