Contents:
- Medical Video: 5 Common Signs of Cervical Cancer
- What is cervical cancer?
- What causes cervical cancer?
- What are the risk factors that can cause cervical cancer?
Medical Video: 5 Common Signs of Cervical Cancer
The cervix or cervix is a female body part that connects the uterus and vagina. This is the way out the baby when a woman gives birth. However, this woman's important body parts can also be affected by diseases, one of which is cervical cancer. It is important for you as a woman to avoid this type of cancer because there are many women who have cervical cancer. To be able to avoid it, you should first know what causes cervical cancer.
What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow out of control in your cervix or cervix. This is usually caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) in a woman's cervix. When a woman is infected with this virus, it may be that women do not immediately suffer from cervical cancer. The immune system that every human being has is trying to fight this virus.
However, the HPV virus can last for years in a woman's body. So, in the end the HPV virus can cause cells in the cervical wall to turn into cancer cells. You then suffer from cervical cancer.
What causes cervical cancer?
The most common cause of cervical cancer is infection with the HPV virus. There are more than 100 types of HPV virus and 13 of them can cause cervical cancer. You can get infected with this virus by having sexual relations with someone who has an HPV virus.
The HPV virus infects healthy cells in the uterine wall. Thus, healthy cells undergo genetic changes into abnormal cells. Healthy cells eventually die and are replaced by abnormal cells that grow out of control. Abnormal cells that grow later form a large mass called a tumor.
Women who have HPV virus in their bodies may be able to experience cervical cancer and may also not develop cervical cancer. HPV virus infection can disappear by itself. However, other factors also influence the development of cervical cancer, such as lifestyle. Women who have the HPV virus coupled with a bad lifestyle have a greater chance of suffering from cervical cancer.
For this reason, women are advised to take pap smears regularly for early detection of cervical cancer. Pap smear tests can find changes that occur in cells in the cervix before the cell turns into cancer cells. That way, you can prevent cervical cancer early.
What are the risk factors that can cause cervical cancer?
Some risk factors that can increase your chances of suffering from cervical cancer are:
- Frequently changing partners in sexual intercourse. The more often you change partners, the greater your chances of getting infected with the HPV virus and developing cervical cancer.
- Have had sex since an early age. Having sexual intercourse at an early age can increase your risk of contracting the HPV virus.
- Affected by other sexually transmitted infections. Having sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV / AIDS can increase your risk of cervical cancer.
- Has a weak immune system. The HPV virus is more likely to cause cervical cancer if you have a weakened immune system due to other health conditions. For example, in people with HIV / AIDS.
- Smoke. Smoking is associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer, especially the type of squamous cell cervical cancer.
