How common in cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer is the 3rd most common gynecological malignancy in the US after endometrial and ovarian cancer.
Describe the mortality of cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is the third most common cause of death due to a gynecological malignancy after endometrial and ovarian cancer.
What is the main cause of cervical cancer?
Infection with high-risk HPV types is the main cause of cervical cancer (DNA of HPV 16 and/or 18 is found in 70% of all patients with cervical carcinoma)
What are the viral strains causative for cervical cancer?
The major high-risk HPV types are HPV 16 (most common in squamous cell carcinoma) and HPV 18 (most common in adenocarcinoma)
HPV and cervical cancer (picture).
List risk factors associated with HPV infection.
Multiple sexual partners (strongest risk factor)
Early-onset of sexual activity
Multiparity
Immunosuppression (e.g., HIV infection, post-transplantation)
History of sexually transmitted infections (e.g., herpes simplex, chlamydia)
List other environmental risk factors.
Cigarette smoking and/or exposure to second-hand smoke (for squamous cell cancer types only)
In-utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES)
Low socioeconomic status
Patients are usually asymptomatic in the early stages and develop symptoms later in the course of the disease.
List early and late symptoms, as well as features of cervical examination.
Early symptoms
Abnormal vaginal bleeding: irregular vaginal bleeding, heavy, irregular menstrual bleeding, postcoital spotting
Abnormal vaginal discharge: blood-stained or purulent malodorous discharge (not necessarily accompanied by pruritus)
Dyspareunia
Pelvic pain
Late symptoms: hydronephrosis, lymphedema, fistula formation
Cervical examination: ulceration, induration, or an exophytic tumor
Which 2 classification systems are available for reporting cervical pathology results?
Bethesda system
CIN grading
Last changed2 years ago
