In the biological make up of human species, the reproductive system is one major factor that differentiates men from women. The women's reproductive system is the harbor of human life. The womb, specifically, is where a potential human life is nestled. The women's unique body serves as the breeding ground for the next generations of human race. Thus, the well-being of a woman's reproductive system is crucial not only for women themselves, but for the human race as a whole. Aside from instances of inability to conceive a child, diseases like cancer of the uterus and cancer of the cervix are major threats to women's overall health care condition.



The cervix is an important part of women's reproductive system. It is the bridge that connects the vagina to the uterus. Its primary role is being the passageway of the blood coming from the uterus and going out of the vagina (menstruation). Also, the cervix is responsible for the production of mucus that aids the travel of sperm cells from vagina to the uterus. But most importantly, the cervix keeps the fetus inside the womb as the cervical canal closes during pregnancy.

Cancer of the cervix happens when a tumor grows in it. Tumor is a mass of tissues. It is the amalgamation of the unnecessary cells produced in the cervix. Tumor in the cervix can either be benign or malignant. A benign tumor is one that are not cancerous. Benign tumors are not life threatening and can be removed easily without the probability of growing back again. Examples of benign growths that can happen in the cervix are polyps, cysts, and genital warts. Malignant tumor, on the other hand, is the kind that is considered a cancer. Malignant tumors are a great threat to life and can grow back after removal. Malignant tumor is characterized by cells that can travel and spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. When these cancer cells invade other body parts, they form new tumor and pose equally great harm as that of their threat to the cervix.

It still remains unexplainable why some women develop cancer of the cervix while others do not. Cervical cancer's main cause still remains a missing piece of the puzzle. What are known by medical experts are things or elements that can increase the probability of women developing this kind of cancer--risk factors. Prolonged use of birth control pills, several childbirths, and cigarette smoking are the most prevalent risk factors. Having multiple sex partners and having a partner who had many sexual partners are also high risk factors. A deteriorated immune system is another very high risk factor for developing cancer of the cervix. Infections from human papillomaviruses and infection of sexually transmitted diseases or HIV are the most prevalent factors that can deteriorate the immune system and increase the chances of having a cancer of the cervix.

Women suspected to have cancer of the cervix show symptoms like painful sexual intercourse, abnormal bleeding of the vagina, and painful pelvic area. Symptoms that are more indicative of a potential cervical cancer are experienced in between normal menstrual period bleeding, douching or post-intercourse bleeding, and post-menopause bleeding. An early diagnosis is the best way to identify whether the existence of any of these symptoms is already at a cancer stage or not. Colposcopy and biopsy are the modes of diagnosis for suspected cervical cancer cases.

The staging of cervical cancer proves to be a very complex matter. Five stages (stage 0, stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, and stage 4) are identified levels of cervical cancer. The appropriate treatment for a particular patients depends on what stage the case falls into. The treatment options being administered to most cases are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, or a combination of all these three methods. In surgery, total hysterectomy (cervix and the uterus removal) is done. Radical hysterectomy (removal of uterus, cervix, and other parts of the vagina) is administered to women with grave cases. Lymph nodes around the area of the tumor may also be removed to prevent the spread of cancer cells. In chemotherapy, cancer-killing drugs are entered into the bloodstream for faster treatment and prevention of further spread. Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy rays to hinder the growth of cancer cells. It can be internally (insertion of small radioactive implants) or externally (use of machines outside the body) applied.