Cervical Cancer (cont.)
Symptoms
Early cervical cancers usually don't cause symptoms. When the cancer grows larger, women may notice one or more of these symptoms:
Infections or other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell for sure. A woman with any of these symptoms should tell her doctor so that problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Detection and diagnosis
Doctors recommend that women help reduce their risk of cervical cancer by
having regular Pap tests. A Pap test (sometimes called Pap smear or cervical
smear) is a simple test used to look at cervical cells. Pap tests can find
cervical cancer or abnormal cells that can lead to cervical cancer.
Finding and treating abnormal cells can prevent most cervical cancer. Also,
the Pap test can help find cancer early, when treatment is more likely to be
effective.
For most women, the Pap test is not painful. It's done in a doctor's office
or clinic during a pelvic exam. The doctor or nurse scrapes a sample of cells
from the cervix. A lab checks the cells under a microscope for cell changes.
Most often, abnormal cells found by a Pap test are not cancerous. The same
sample of cells may be tested for HPV infection.
If you have abnormal Pap or HPV test results, your doctor will suggest other
tests to make a diagnosis:
- Colposcopy: The doctor uses a colposcope to look at the cervix. The
colposcope combines a bright light with a magnifying lens to make tissue easier
to see. It is not inserted into the vagina. A colposcopy is usually done in the
doctor's office or clinic.
- Biopsy: Most women have tissue removed in the doctor's office with local
anesthesia. A pathologist checks the tissue under a microscope for abnormal
cells.
- Punch biopsy: The doctor uses a sharp tool to pinch off small samples of
cervical tissue.
- LEEP: The doctor uses an electric wire loop to slice off a
thin, round piece of cervical tissue.
- Endocervical curettage: The doctor uses a
curette (a small, spoon-shaped instrument) to scrape a small sample of tissue
from the cervix. Some doctors may use a thin, soft brush instead of a curette.
- Conization: The doctor removes a cone-shaped sample of tissue. A conization, or
cone biopsy, lets the pathologist see if abnormal cells are in the tissue
beneath the surface of the cervix. The doctor may do this test in the hospital
under general anesthesia.
Removing tissue from the cervix may cause some
bleeding or other discharge. The area usually heals quickly. Some women also
feel some pain similar to menstrual cramps. Your doctor can suggest medicine
that will help relieve your pain.
You may want to ask the doctor these questions before having a biopsy:
- Which biopsy method do you recommend?
- How will tissue be removed?
- Will I have to go to the hospital?
- How long will it take? Will I be awake? Will it hurt?
- Are there any risks? What are the chances of infection or bleeding after the
test?
- For how many days afterward should I avoid using tampons, douching, or having
sex?
- Can the test affect my ability to get pregnant and have children?
- How soon will I know the results? Who will explain them to me?
- If I do have cancer, who will talk to me about the next steps? When?
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