Cervical Cancer: What Every Woman Should Know

Writers: Umme Rubab & Arisha Siddiqui

Cervical cancer can occur when cells in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus connected to the vagina, grow rapidly. It is categorized based on the type of cells in the cervix that become cancerous. The two major types are Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Adenocarcinoma. According to the World Health Organization, 660,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer globally and about 350,000 died from it in 2022. However, it is still one of the most treatable cancers when it is detected in earlier stages.

Stages:

Stage 1: The cancer is only in the neck of the cervix, and hasn’t spread anywhere else.

Stage 2: The cancer has spread across the upper vagina, to the uterus, but hasn’t spread beyond the pelvic wall.

Stage 3: The cancer has spread to the rest of the uterus, the pelvic wall, and the ureters.

Stage 4: The cancer has greatly spread to other parts of the body such as the bladder, rectum, bones, or even lungs.

(Cleveland Clinic)

Causes and Risk Factors:

The most common cause of cervical cancer is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a type of sexually transmitted infection. However, there are many other risk factors that include:

• Smoking

• Multiple sexual partners

• Becoming sexually active very early

• Weak immune system

• Other STDs

• Exposure to miscarriage prevention medicine as a fetus

• Family history of cervical cancer 

(Mayo Clinic)

Prevention: 

In addition to treatment, there are many strategies and methods you can implement into your lifestyle to prevent cervical cancer. It is recommended to:

• Get vaccinated for Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

• Have routine pap tests and screening tests at your local gynecologist

• Practice safe sex

• Avoid smoking or vaping

(Mayo Clinic)

Treatment Options:

As cervical cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer, treatment by a gynecologic oncologist is available to combat it. Although there is a wide variety of treatment options, the type of treatment used depends on many factors, such as the type, size, and stage of the cancer. In more severe cases, immunotherapy is used, which uses the patient’s own immune system to combat the cancer. In the least severe cases, surgery is performed on the infected area(s). In moderately severe cases, the most common methods are chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapy which use chemicals, radiation, and medicine respectively. A combination of chemo- and radiation therapy may also be used, called chemoradiotherapy.

Latest Treatment Breakthroughs:

The INTERLACE Trial is a significant breakthrough in treating cervical cancer. The purpose of the trial was to determine whether a course of chemotherapy prior to the standard chemoradiation can improve the outcome of treatment. Spanning 10 years, phase III of the clinical trial involved 500 patients in five different countries: UK, Mexico, India, Italy, and Brazil. In the study, patients were randomly divided into two groups. One group received the standard treatment of chemoradiation, with the use of cisplatin and radiation. The other group went through an additional six weeks of chemotherapy, with the use of carboplatin and paclitaxel medication, before receiving the same chemoradiation that the first group received. The results have shown a 40% decrease in death and a 35% decrease in cancer recurrence. After five years, 80% of patients in the new treatment group were alive, in comparison to 72% of patients who received standard treatment (Fuller).

This trial has shown a phenomenal discovery of a new treatment method for several people. This treatment would offer several advantages, including higher survival rates while utilizing already available drugs in the market. It even has the possibility of becoming a practical option for healthcare systems, since it doesn't rely on any new medication. Although the treatment shows more success rates, it does increase the treatment length as well as the possibility of side effects to the medicines for patients (American Cancer Society). However, Dr. Mary McCormack, the lead investigator of the trial, believes the new treatment can "make a positive difference, using existing drugs that are cheap and already approved for use in patients" (Fuller). Furthermore, the use of chemotherapy before receiving chemoradiation therapy to treat cervical cancer would have a minimal increase in the cost of treatment. The INTERLACE Trial underscores the potential for affordable innovations to transform cancer care.

---

Works Consulted

“Cervical Cancer.” CDC, 11 Dec. 2024, www.cdc.gov/cervical-cancer/treatment/index.html

“Cervical Cancer.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12216-cervical-cancer. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.

“Cervical Cancer.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cervical-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20352501. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.

“Cervical Cancer.” World Health Organization, www.who.int/health-topics/cervical-cancer#tab=tab_1. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.

Fuller, Alice. “‘REMARKABLE RESULTS’ New cervical cancer treatment cuts risk of death by 40% in ‘biggest breakthrough in 20 years’.” The U.S. Sun, 14 Oct. 2024, www.the-sun.com/health/12673143/new-cervical-cancer-treatment-cuts-risk-death-chemoradiation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

“New Cervical Cancer Treatment Approach Offers Hope for Longer Survival.” American Cancer Society, 15 Jan. 2025, www.cancer.org/cancer/latest-news/new-cervical-cancer-treatment-approach-offers-hope-for-longer-survival.html

“Treatment for Cervical Cancer.” Cancer Research UK, www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cervical-cancer/treatment. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.