Cervical Dysplasia – What it is, Symptoms and Treatments!
Cervical Dysplasia – What it is, Symptoms and Treatments that few know. Also, Cervical Dysplasia is characterized by changes in the cervix, when the cells in the cervix undergo abnormal changes. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that leads to the vagina. It is the cervix that dilates during childbirth to allow the fetus to pass through. These changes, as similar as they are, are not cancer, but if left untreated, they can develop into it.
In Cervical Dysplasia , the abnormal cells are not cancerous, but they can develop cancer if they are not diagnosed early and treated. According to the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, every year in the United States, Cervical Dysplasia affects between 250,000 and 1 million women. It is most often seen in women between the ages of 25 to 35 years.
In Cervical Dysplasia , healthy cells in the cervix undergo abnormal changes. The condition is usually found during a normal Pap smear. Quick treatment usually cures Cervical Dysplasia and prevents it from progressing into cancer .
Causes: A common virus called human papillomavirus ( HPV ) causes Cervical Dysplasia . HPV is a sexually transmitted virus, and there are hundreds of strains. Some are low risk and cause genital warts .
Others are high risk and cause cellular changes that can turn into Cervical Dysplasia and cancer . According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), an estimated 26.8 percent of women have tested positive for one or more strains of HPV .
Symptoms: There are usually no symptoms of Cervical Dysplasia . Occasionally, abnormal bleeding may occur. However, in the absence of symptoms, the cellular changes are invisible to the naked eye and are usually found during a regular Pap smear.
Risk Factors: There are several risk factors for Cervical Dysplasia , some of which directly relate to the risk of HPV :
- Having a disease that suppresses the immune system ;
- Consuming immunosuppressive drugs;
- Having multiple sexual partners;
- Giving birth before age 16;
- Having sex before age 18;
- smoke cigarettes.
If you are sexually active, a condom can reduce your risk of getting HPV . But the virus can still live on the skin around the genitals not covered by the condom.
Diagnostics: Cervical Dysplasia diagnosticsinclude cervical cytology – Pap smears – and testing for human papillomavirus ( HPV ) subtypes. Follow-up for abnormalities in screening tests with cervical biopsy and colposcopy may result if necessary.
Follow-up is done with Pap smears and colpososcopy and vulvoscopy, with biopsies whenever necessary and also accompanied by tests that detect the virus such as hybrid capture.
Treatments: The treatment of Cervical Dysplasia depends on the severity of the condition. Mild dysplasia may not be treated right away as it may resolve without treatment. Pap smears can be done every three to six months. For CIN 2 or 3, treatment may include:
- Cryosurgery, which freezes abnormal cells;
- laser therapy;
- Electrosurgical excision (LEEP) procedure, which uses electricity to remove affected tissue;
- Cone biopsy, when a cone-shaped part of the cervix is removed from the location of the abnormal tissue.
Cervical Dysplasia is usually detected early due to regular Pap smears. Treatment typically cures Cervical Dysplasia , but it can return. If no treatment is given, the dysplasia can get worse, potentially turning into cancer .
Prevention: The only definitive way to prevent Cervical Dysplasia is to practice abstinence. There are several things you can do to reduce your risk of getting HPV and Cervical Dysplasia :
- Practice safe sex using a condom.
- Consider the HPV vaccine if you are between the ages of 9 and 26.
- Avoid smoking cigarettes.
- Wait to have sex until you are at least 18 years old.
- Avoid multiple sexual partners.
- Talk to your doctor about your sexual activity and steps you can take to lower your risk of Cervical Dysplasia .