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Cervical Cancer - Introduction
What is Cervical Cancer?
The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb). It is sometimes called the uterine cervix. The body (upper part)
of the uterus, is where a fetus grows.The cervix is the opening that joins the uterine body to the vagina (birth canal).
The endocervix is the portion of the cervix that is closest to the uterine body. The exocervix (or ectocervix) is
the area next to the vagina. The transformation zone is the area where these two sections converge. The
transformation zone is where the majority of Cervical cancers
malignancies begin.
Cervical cancers and
Under a microscope, the cells in this kind of cancer resemble squamous cells.
Most frequently, squamous cell carcinomas start where the exocervix and endocervix converge.
The remaining 10% to 20% of Cervical cancers
The endocervix's mucus-producing gland cells give rise to cervical adenocarcinoma. Less frequently,
adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas have characteristics withCervical cancers
These are referred to as mixed or adenosquamous carcinomas.
Although Cervical cancers start from cells with pre-cancerous
changes (pre-cancers), only some of the women with precancers of the cervix will develop cancer. Although it
can occur in less than a year, the transition from precancer to cancer often takes several years.
Precancerous cells in most women will disappear on their own without therapy. However, precancerous
lesions can develop into aggressive malignancies in some women.
cancers. Treating all pre-cancers can prevent almost all true cancers. Pre-cancerous changes and specific types
of treatment for pre-cancers are discussed in the section, "Can Cervical cancer Be Prevented?"
Pre-cancerous changes are separated into different categories based on how the cells of the cervix look under a
microscope. These categories are discussed in the section, "Can Cervical cancer Be Prevented?"
Other malignancies can also begin in the cervix, even though squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas account
for the majority of cervical cancer cases. These other kinds, which are more common in other body sections,
include lymphoma, sarcoma, and melanoma. This paper addresses the most prevalent forms of cervical cancer and
won't go into