Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, as well as in Georgia.
Fortunately, cervical cancer can be diagnosed at an early stage and easily treated, also, it can be prevented by the regular screening.
For early diagnosis, prevention and treatment, you can visit the National Center of Surgery and use our screening program.
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Cervical cancer is a malignant transformation of cervix epithelial cells, which is usually asymptomatic.
It should be noted that cervical cancer needs many years before development. At the initial stage, the disease does not show any visible changes, so women admit to the doctor late.
Nowadays, there is already the possibility of early diagnosis and treatment.
The head of the Department of Gynecology of the National Center of Surgery, Mindia Iobashvili, talks about cervical cancer.
- What is the incidence of the disease in Georgia, women of what age group are most often affected?
– According to statistics, cervical cancer ranks second after breast cancer. Cervical cancer is the most common over the age of 40, although there are cases in women aged 20-30 years. Cervical cancer in women under the age of 20 years is not usually manifested
- What are the symptoms of cervical cancer and are the symptoms manifested at an early stage of the disease?
- At an early stage, cervical cancer is asymptomatic. At later stages following symptoms may appear pathological vaginal discharge, contact bleeding, pain.
Cervical cancer at the initial stage is curable.
-What is the cause of cervical cancer?
– Causes and risk factors for the development of the disease:
- Early onset of sexual activity;
- Having multiple sexual partners;
- Genetic factors;
- Frequent abortions and childbirth;
- Smoking;
- Use of hormonal contraception;
- Prolonged use of the Intrauterine device;
- Not using the barrier contraceptives;
- Immunodeficiency disorders;
- Papillomavirus infection;
- Hypovitaminosis;
- Can screening reveal early changes in the cervix, and what are the methods of examination of the cervix performed at the National Center of Surgery?
- Nowadays, the gold standard is the combination of two tests: the Pap test and HPV-DNA. Pap test is the examination of the cervical smear using the Papanicolaou method, and HPV-DNA is a DNA test of the human papillomavirus.
These studies are necessary to avoid the development of cervical cancer or diagnose it at an early stage.
These methods are implemented and are successfully performed at the National Center of Surgery.
- What are a colposcopy and a PAP test?
-Colposcopy is a simple and effective method for assessing the condition of the cervix. With the help of colposcopy, it is possible to assess epithelium of the cervix and the vagina, to detect the damaged area, to differentiate the malignant and benign areas, to take a smear and a targeted biopsy.
As for the study, it is conducted in the middle of the menstrual cycle, two weeks after the end of the menstrual cycle.
Pap test means the cytological diagnosis of cervical pathology. The best time to do the smear is considered the period between the 8th and 21st day of the menstrual cycle, during a 28-day cycle.
- How is cervical cancer diagnosed at the National Center of Surgery, what are the modern research methods used?
- With the help of a cervical biopsy and histological examination of the biopsy material.
- What does the reader need to know about the laparoscopic surgery and its benefits?
- Laparoscopic surgery has many advantages. First of all, it is less traumatic, the rehabilitation period is faster and easier, and the postoperative period is much shorter. No special care, bed rest and restriction of physical activity is necessary, the risk of postoperative complications is reduced and equals almost zero. Sutures heal faster, thanks to their size.
All this is of great importance for patients suffering from chronic diseases, for example, diabetes mellitus (the healing process in patients with this disease is very difficult).
During laparoscopic surgery, the abdominal cavity remains closed, so the probability of postoperative infection is minimal. Suppuration of the postoperative wound is also minimal, while with open interventions, especially among obese patients, this problem is especially relevant, because the subcutaneous fatty tissue is predisposed to suppuration. A postoperative hernia, which often occurs with open interventions, almost never happens during laparoscopic interventions.
After laparoscopic surgery, several small scars remain on the skin, which are almost invisible after 6-9 months.
- What can you tell us about the precancerous diseases?
- Precancerous diseases are a combination of background processes and histologically or cytologically confirmed mild and moderate dysplasias.
Background diseases: inflammatory diseases (bacterial and viral infections), hormonal imbalance, nervous stress.
Dysplasia is an intraepithelial neoplasia of the cervix, characterized by a loss of differentiation of the epithelium, change in the number of layers, which is called atypia.
There is mild, moderate and severe dysplasia. CIN1, CIN2, CIN3 (carcinoma in situ). Dysplasia can be reversible, stable or progressing.
- How is the papillomavirus transmitted, and when is it causing a risk of developing cancer?
- The human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. One of the most important risk factors for cervical cancer development.
Currently, about 100 HPV types have been identified, including 30 to which the genital tract is vulnerable.
Depending on the chance of developing cervical cancer, high and low oncogenic types of HPV are distinguished.
Low oncogenic types are: 6,11,40,42,43,44,53,54,61,72,73, and 81, which can cause genital warts and minor cervical lesions.
High oncogenic HPV includes 13 types: 16,18,31,33,35,39,45,51,52,56,58,59,66,68. Among them, the most oncogenic are 16 and 18. In case of their persistence, they can cause both moderate and severe damage (such as cervical cancer).
– How do you treat cervical cancer at the National Center of Surgery?
– Unfortunately, the patients come to us with at such stage, when they require surgical intervention.
If the patient has Carcinoma in situ stage, total extirpation or excision of the uterus is necessary (cervix, body, fallopian tubes and ovaries).
During the reproductive age, the conization of the cervix is recommended. During the later stages of the disease, an expanded extirpation of the uterus (removal of the organ with regional lymph nodes) is performed. Combination treatment includes: surgery and combined radiation therapy, and, if necessary, chemotherapy. At the end stage, when the surgical treatment is no longer recommended, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is prescribed to the patient.
- What is the purpose of magnetic resonance imaging in gynecology?
- Magnetic resonance imaging is the most informative method of study, and it is impossible to imagine modern medicine without it. This method is used in radiology for anatomical and physiological examination of the body.
Magnetic resonance imaging is a non-invasive technology that creates three-dimensional, detailed anatomical images. During the study, X-ray radiation of the tissues and internal organs does not occur and ionizing radiation is not used, so the procedure is safe for health. It is used for the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease. It is especially important for the diagnosis of oncology diseases.
National Center of Surgery address – Tbilisi, Digomi Chachava street N5.
You can contact the Call-center of the National Center of Surgery at 577 11 91 19 or 2 02 25 25;
If you have some questions, you can contact the head of the Department of Gynecology of the National Center of Surgery, Mindia Iobashvili, at 577 11 68 48;
Wish you health!
