Battling Cancer

Cervical cancer will be diagnosed in more than 11,000 women in the U.S. in 2008 and more than 3,000 women will die of the disease this year.

Worldwide it is third leading cause of cancer death in women.

What is the cervix?

More →

By Ingrid Tiessen

Cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women worldwide. It is also one of the most preventable types of cancer.

Cervical cell changes are often caused by a sexually transmitted virus called the human papilloma virus or ‘HPV’. Most HPV infections will clear on their own once the immune system has dealt with it,and not lead to cervical cancer. Often, a woman infected with HPV will never know that she has been infected.

When a woman goes for her annual Pap test, the changes in the cervix are detected. A doctor is not usually alarmed by slight changes, as this can be caused by irritation or inflammation of the cervix, and will recommend retesting in 6 months. If, however, the changes do not revert back to normal, further testing is required to deal with possible precancerous tissue.

More →

June 8, 2006 — Women for the first time have a vaccine to protect themselves against cervical cancer.

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved use of the vaccine, Gardasil, for use in girls and women ages nine to 26. It works by preventing infection by four strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease.

….

More →

Mar 29, 2006 6:14 pm US/Eastern

CBS) SCOTIA, N.Y. The treatment for cervical cancer often leaves women unable to have babies.

But, reports The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay, a new technique may help women retain their fertility.

Senay says the normal course of treatment, such as surgery to remove the uterus and chemotherapy and radiation, frequently results in infertility.

More →