Related Research Articles
The cervix or cervix uteri is a dynamic fibromuscular sexual organ of the female reproductive system that connects the vagina with the uterine cavity. The human female cervix has been documented anatomically since at least the time of Hippocrates, over 2,000 years ago. The cervix is approximately 4 cm long with a diameter of approximately 3 cm and tends to be described as a cylindrical shape, although the front and back walls of the cervix are contiguous. The size of the cervix changes throughout a woman's life cycle. For example, during the fertile years of a woman's reproductive cycle, females tend to have a larger cervix in comparison to postmenopausal females; likewise, females who have produced offspring have a larger sized cervix than females who have not produced offspring.
The Papanicolaou test is a method of cervical screening used to detect potentially precancerous and cancerous processes in the cervix or, more rarely, anus. Abnormal findings are often followed up by more sensitive diagnostic procedures and, if warranted, interventions that aim to prevent progression to cervical cancer. The test was independently invented in the 1920s by the Greek physician Georgios Papanikolaou and named after him. A simplified version of the test was introduced by the Canadian obstetrician Anna Marion Hilliard in 1957.
Cervical cancer is a cancer arising from the cervix or in any layer of the wall of the cervix. It is due to the abnormal growth of cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body. Early on, typically no symptoms are seen. Later symptoms may include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain or pain during sexual intercourse. While bleeding after sex may not be serious, it may also indicate the presence of cervical cancer.
Colposcopy is a medical diagnostic procedure to visually examine the cervix as well as the vagina and vulva using a colposcope.
Anal cancer is a cancer which arises from the anus, the distal opening of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms may include bleeding from the anus or a lump near the anus. Other symptoms may include pain, itchiness, or discharge from the anus. A change in bowel movements may also occur.
The loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) is one of the most commonly used approaches to treat high grade cervical dysplasia and early stage cervical cancer discovered on colposcopic examination. In the UK, it is known as large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ). It is considered a type of conization. It has been in use since the 1970s, after its invention by Dr. Sheldon Weinstein.
Carcinoma in situ (CIS) is a group of abnormal cells. While they are a form of neoplasm, there is disagreement over whether CIS should be classified as cancer. This controversy also depends on the exact CIS in question. Some authors do not classify them as cancer, however, recognizing that they can potentially become cancer. Others classify certain types as a non-invasive form of cancer. The term "pre-cancer" has also been used.
Bloody show or show is the passage of a small amount of blood or blood-tinged mucus through the vagina near the end of pregnancy. It is caused by thinning and dilation of the cervix, leading to detachment of the cervical mucus plug that seals the cervix during pregnancy and tearing of small cervical blood vessels, and is one of the signs that labor may be imminent. The bloody show may be expelled from the vagina in pieces or altogether and often appears as a jelly-like piece of mucus stained with blood. Although the bloody show may be alarming at first, it is not a concern of patient health after 37 weeks gestation.
Cervical effacement or cervical ripening refers to the thinning and shortening of the cervix. This process occurs during labor to prepare the cervix for dilation to allow the fetus to pass through the vagina. While this is a normal, physiological process that occurs at the later end of pregnancy, it can also be induced through medications and procedures.
Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), also known as cervical dysplasia, is the abnormal growth of cells on the surface of the cervix that could potentially lead to cervical cancer. More specifically, CIN refers to the potentially precancerous transformation of cells of the cervix.
The Cartwright Inquiry was a committee of inquiry held in New Zealand from 1987 to 1988 that was commissioned by the Minister of Health, Michael Bassett, to investigate whether, as alleged in an article in Metro magazine, there had been a failure to treat patients adequately with cervical carcinoma in situ (CIS) at National Women’s Hospital (NWH) by Herbert Green, a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist and associate professor at the Postgraduate School of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland. The inquiry was headed by District Court Judge Silvia Cartwright, later High Court Justice, Dame and Governor-General of New Zealand. The Report of the Cervical Cancer Inquiry was released on 5 August 1988.
Vulvar cancer is a cancer of the vulva, the outer portion of the female genitals. It most commonly affects the labia majora. Less often, the labia minora, clitoris, or Bartholin's glands are affected. Symptoms include a lump, itchiness, changes in the skin, or bleeding from the vulva.
Dyskaryosis (dis-kār-ĭ-ó-sis) is abnormal cytologic changes of squamous epithelial cells characterized by hyperchromatic nuclei and/or irregular nuclear chromatin. This may be followed by the development of a malignant neoplasm. Dyskaryosis is used synonymously with dysplasia, which is the more common term. The term "dyskaryosis" is not to be confused with "dyskeratosis".
Gynecologic oncology is a specialized field of medicine that focuses on cancers of the female reproductive system, including ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, vaginal cancer, cervical cancer, and vulvar cancer. As specialists, they have extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers.
In gynecologic oncology, trachelectomy, also called cervicectomy, is a surgical removal of the uterine cervix. As the uterine body is preserved, this type of surgery is a fertility preserving surgical alternative to a radical hysterectomy and applicable in selected younger women with early cervical cancer.
Endocervical curettage is a procedure in which the mucous membrane of the cervical canal is scraped using a spoon-shaped instrument called a curette. The procedure is used to test for abnormal, precancerous conditions, or cervical cancer. The procedure is generally performed after an abnormal pap smear to further assess the tissue. Other common indications to perform endocervical curettage include evaluation of persistent human papillomavirus infection infections, workup of unexplained abnormal uterine bleeding, and follow up of inconclusive colposcopy.
The Bethesda system (TBS), officially called The Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology, is a system for reporting cervical or vaginal cytologic diagnoses, used for reporting Pap smear results. It was introduced in 1988 and revised in 1991, 2001, and 2014. The name comes from the location of the conference, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, that established the system.
Clear-cell adenocarcinoma is a rare and aggressive form of cancer that typically arises in the female reproductive organs, particularly the ovaries and the endometrium as well as the kidneys and is characterized by the presence of clear, glycogen-rich cells. Specific criteria must be met for a tumor to be classified as clear cell adenocarcinoma. According to the WHO, these criteria include polygonal or hobnail or cells with clear or eosinophilic/oxyphilic cytoplasm and nuclear atypia, with different architectural patterns of growth, such as papillary, tubulocystic, or solid.
Cervical cancer staging is the assessment of cervical cancer to determine the extent of the spread of cancer beyond the cervix. This is important for determining how serious the cancer is and to create the best treatment plan.
Cervical cancer screening is a medical screening test designed to identify risk of cervical cancer. Cervical screening may involve looking for viral DNA, and/or to identify abnormal, potentially precancerous cells within the cervix as well as cells that have progressed to early stages of cervical cancer. One goal of cervical screening is to allow for intervention and treatment so abnormal lesions can be removed prior to progression to cancer. An additional goal is to decrease mortality from cervical cancer by identifying cancerous lesions in their early stages and providing treatment prior to progression to more invasive disease.
References
- ↑ Cooper, Danielle B.; Carugno, Jose; Menefee, Gary W. (2023), "Conization of Cervix", StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, PMID 28722875 , retrieved 2023-11-16
- 1 2 3 Athanasiou, Antonios; Veroniki, Areti Angeliki; Efthimiou, Orestis; Kalliala, Ilkka; Naci, Huseyin; Bowden, Sarah; Paraskevaidi, Maria; Arbyn, Marc; Lyons, Deirdre; Martin-Hirsch, Pierre; Bennett, Phillip; Paraskevaidis, Evangelos; Salanti, Georgia; Kyrgiou, Maria (2022-07-25). "Comparative effectiveness and risk of preterm birth of local treatments for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and stage IA1 cervical cancer: a systematic review and network meta-analysis". The Lancet Oncology. 23 (8): 1097–1108. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00334-5. PMC 9630146 . PMID 35835138.
- 1 2 3 "Prevention of cervical cancer: what are the risks and benefits of different treatments?". NIHR Evidence (Plain English summary). National Institute for Health and Care Research. 2023-11-10. doi:10.3310/nihrevidence_60599. S2CID 265201829.
 | This oncology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |