Cervical Cancer
APRIL-MAY 2009 CORINNA SNYDER PERIOD 5
What causes cervical cancer?
Cervical Cancer is the fifth
most deadly cancer in
women worldwide.
In the United States, cervical cancer
is the eighth most common cancer in
women. It is caused by HPV, or human
papillomavirus. HPV triggers alterations
in the cells of the cervix, leading to
cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, which
leads to cancer. Cervical Intraepithelial
Neoplasia is the potential transformation
and abnormal growth of squamous cells (a
type of cell) on the surface of the cervix.
What are Symptoms of
Cervical Cancer?
When cervical cancer has not
reached its advanced stages, symptoms
may not be seen. However, there may be
vaginal bleeding. In its advanced stages,
(image above)
Squamous
carcinoma of the
cervix
symptoms include loss of apitite, weight
loss, fatigue, a single swollen leg, heavy
vaginal bleeding, bone fractures, and
pelvic, back, or leg pain.
How does this relate to
the cell process?
The cause of this disease relates to
the cell process because HPV triggers
alterations in the cells of the cervix, which
causes the cells on the surface of the
cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, or
transformation and abnormal growth of
cells on the surface of the cervix. This
relates to the cell process because the cells
in the cervix are being transformed
abnormally in mitosis, creating the cells
that lead to cancer. Cancer is the mutation
of DNA, which occurs in mitosis.
What is Cervical Canc
er?
Cervical cancer is a malig
nant cancer
of the cervix. Being malig
nant, the
cancer gets progressively
worse over
time.
What disease states/problems
with homeostasis can result from
the process not occurring correctly?
With cervical cancer, problems
with homeostasis can result from this
process not occurring correctly by the
growth of tumors. Tumors occur because
the cell division increases, or the death of
cells decreases.
Understanding Cervical Cancer
Annually 14,000 women are
diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 3,900
of them die from it. Worldwide, half-a-
million women are diagnosed with cancer
of the cervix, and more than 243,000 die
because of the disease -- that’s half the
women that were diagnosed in the
beginning. Treatments of cervical cancer
in its early stages are surgery. In its
advanced stages, chemotherapy and
radiotherapy are used.